LAHORE: Tax collectors must refrain from harassing the members of the business community instead it would be better to take the chambers and association on board before initiating any direct action that earns a bad name for the country.
The incumbent government is undoubtedly taking strong measures to make the country economically strong but it is the bureaucracy that does not want the government to be successful in its endeavor. The government must have to replace the troublemakers in the bureaucracy with the elements that are willing to serve the national interests. The tax collector should refrain from harassing the members of the business community instead it would be better to take the chambers and association on board before initiating any direct action that earns bad name for the country.
These views were expressed by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and industry vice president Tahir Manzoor Chaudhary while exclusively talking to Customs Today the other day.
“The government has a vision and wants to make the country an economic power as it has introduced numerous trade and industry friendly policies. However, the bureaucracy has become one of the biggest hurdles in the way of economic growth and development. The bureaucracy has failed to implement the government policies in letter and spirit. The government has to speak directly and bluntly to the members of bureaucracy making it clear to them; either serve or leave,” Tahir Manzoor Chaudhary suggested.
When questioned as to why the bureaucracy is not ready to implement the government men’s well contrived policy, he replied that the bureaucracy does not want to implement the policies to serve its own limited interest, failing the government.
“The government has a vision. Prime Minister wants to do something good for the country and it is therefore, the government has introduced a number of landmark policies,” he pointed out, but the bureaucracy is reluctant to implement.
“The FBR can collect huge revenue if the fix tax policy is implemented, but the policy is not being implemented. Why is it not being implemented? Definitely, there are some nefarious designs,” he explained.
Talking about the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) raids on the business premises, he said that the business community is the major source of revenue for the government but the Federal Board of Revenue is using coercive tactics against them.
Vice President Tahir Manzoor Chaudhry said that it is high time to make joint efforts to keep the wheel of the economy moving but the FBR is treating the business community like criminals and registering cases promoting harassment among the business community. He said that the tax collector should refrain from harassing the members of the business community instead it would be better to take the chambers and association on board before initiating any direct action that earns bad name for the country. Such practices on the part of the FBR are not only fatal for the business community but also for the FBR as it would not be able to meet its revenue target set for the year 20-21 due anti-business measures like registration of cases against the business community. “The PM should intervene into the matter and help stop the FBR from this practice that is pushing the taxpayers to the wall besides denting the reputation of the government. The FBR was constituted to facilitate the businessmen but it is presently doing the other way round.
“These acts of the Federal Board of Revenue are not only defaming the government but also hurting the business atmosphere. It is unfortunate that the FBR is not releasing what it owes to the business community but creating troubles for the businessmen for the recovery of its outstanding dues just to meet the revenue targets and for the sake to show its performance,” he concluded.
