LAHORE: Traders have expressed concern over the recent moves of various departments to press small businesses through notices for registration with the tax-net despite the recent announcement by the prime minister to exempt as many as 102 businesses from tax, registration, licenses etc.

“We are concerned at the ongoing move by various tax-collecting agencies who are issuing notices to small businesses in a bid to register them by issuing them licenses. This move is contrary to the PM Imran Khan speech of Jan 21 wherein he had announced relief for 102 small businesses from taxes, licenses etc,” All Pakistan Anjuman Tajran Secretary Naeem Mir told Dawn on Tuesday.

“I don’t know why they (the departments) are creating problems for small shopkeepers, business outlets etc at a time when the business community faces a tough economic situation,” he questioned.

He urged the PM to take strict notice of the problem or someone should clearly tell us that the PM has taken a U-turn on this issue as well,” Mir said.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

Syria’s future
Updated 10 Dec, 2024

Syria’s future

Today, HTS — a ‘reformed’ radical outfit once associated with Al Qaeda — is in a position to be the leading power broker in Syria.
Rights in peril
10 Dec, 2024

Rights in peril

IN Pakistan’s fraught landscape of human rights infringements, misery hangs in the air. What makes this year’s...
Learning from AJK
10 Dec, 2024

Learning from AJK

THE recent events in Azad Kashmir are a powerful example of how dialogue can play a constructive role in effectively...
CPEC slowdown
Updated 09 Dec, 2024

CPEC slowdown

Current CPEC slowdown doesn't mean China has lost interest in the connectivity project or in Pakistan.
Madressah bill
09 Dec, 2024

Madressah bill

A CONTROVERSY has been brewing over the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act, 2024, with the JUI-F slamming ...
Protecting varsities
09 Dec, 2024

Protecting varsities

THE recent proposal by the Sindh cabinet to shoehorn in non-PhD bureaucrats as vice chancellors has sparked concern...