PESHAWAR: The business community has demanded of the provincial government to rationalise property tax and abolish double taxation to help businesses and industries flourish in the province.

The demand was made by Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz during a meeting chaired by excise and taxation secretary Syed Zafar Ali Shah at the Chamber House here on Wednesday.

SCCI senior vice-president Shahid Hussain, former presidents Faiz Mohammad Faizi and Adeel Rauf, members of the chamber’s executive committee, director general (excise and taxation) Fayaz Ali Shah, director (excise) Salahuddin and Javed Khilji, office-bearers of Swat, Kohat, Haripur, Abbottabad, Bajaur, Dir, Mardan and other sub-chambers were present in the meeting.

A statement issued here said the participants agreed to form a high-level committee of government officials and representatives from business community to review issues pertaining to property tax.

The secretary said the property tax would be charged by the measurement of covered areas of shops, markets and other properties instead of rental basis.

The senior official said his department would take all possible steps to remove the grievances of business community regarding property tax.

Mr Pervaiz said property tax should be imposed in line with the value of property and floor-wise, while unrealistic steps shouldn’t be taken for tax collection.

The SCCI chief voiced concern about the issuance of property tax notices to Hayatabad Industrial Estate Peshawar saying that industrial estates are usually set up in large areas, so it was completely unjust to determine property tax on the covered area of the industrial estate.

He said the rate of property tax in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was higher than Punjab and Sindh, which was unreasonable.

Mr Pervaiz said the survey conducted by the excise and taxation department was inequitable and unrealistic as exaggerated rates of property tax were imposed through it.

He asked the excise department to take chambers and presidents of bazaar and shopping market associations into confidence before the launch of any crackdown.

The statement said the secretary promised businesspersons that the business community won’t be harassed during the collection of property and professional taxes.

He said the GIS-based survey would be launched in Abbottabad, Nowshera and Mardan, while an independent survey would also be conducted in Peshawar.

The secretary said the website of the excise and taxation department would be upgraded to facilitate businesspersons and create awareness of taxes among them.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2019