June 26, 2003	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 25,1424

FAISALABAD, June 25: The All Pakistan Sizing Industries Association has demanded of the federal government to withdraw the amended section 40-B of the Sales Tax Act, otherwise it would destroy the industrial economy and force the small industrial units to close their factories.

In a statement here, the chairman, APSIA, Mirza Muhammad Shafique, said powers, under this section, to raid any industrial unit would open a new Pandora’s box and force the sizing and owners of other small industrial units to close their factories. This section is also a clear violation of the prescribed rules and basic norms of justice, he added.

He pointed out that almost all the trade bodies of the country had been struggling for the last several years to slash the unbridled powers of the sales tax officials but to no avail. This section would discourage industrialists from registration.

They demanded of the President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali to take cognizance of the situation and direct the authorities concerned to withdraw the amendment.