KARACHI: In a meeting with business leaders from Karachi’s SITE area, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail found himself facing complaints about new tax notices being received by industrialists.

Specifically, the industry leaders present complained that the Fedreal Investigation Agency (FIA) was getting involved in following up on these notices, and pointed out that these are commercial matters and should be handled by the Federal Bureau of Revenue.

The governor said notices are being issued “to persons who have undeclared properties in the United Arab Emirates.”

“The government will never harass or penalise legitimate taxpayers,” he said, but added that the PTI has come under a mandate of pursuing undeclared assets outside the country and “these will be brought back.” He also clarified that it will respect declarations made under the recent amnesty scheme.

Addressing members of the Site Association of Industry (SAI) on Thursday, he said, the federal government-funded projects which included seawater desalination plant, green bus metro project, TP-4 water treatment plant, widening of Northern bypass and reenforcement of Lyari Expressway for heavy traffic, shall be executed through Karachi Infrastructure Development Company Ltd.

According to SAI’s press release, the governor also inaugurated the reconstruction of Manghopir Road which would be completed in three months.

Ismail also announced the formation of Government-Citizens Liaison Committee with the representation of industrialists to resolve their problems and issues related to federal ministries and authorities.

The governor futher promised to talk to prime minister for immediate execution of construction work of Combined Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in Karachi. The industries would also get recycled water from TP-4 treatment plant while all the ditches and patches of main roads at SITE Area shall be repaired on priority, he added.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2018