GUJRAT: Federal Board of Revenue’s Sialkot Zone Chief Commissioner Tariq Chaudhry has taken notice of complaints regarding raids at the houses of some industrialists and vendors, particularly belonging to the electric fan industry, and alleged hurling of threats by Gujrat region’s officials.

The chief commissioner announced an inquiry into the matter and assured industrialists, at an interactive session with them at the Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GtCCI) on Thursday, that he would take every measure to eliminate an atmosphere of harassment.

He agreed there was no need for such harsh steps of raiding houses and imposing section 40B of the tax laws after settlement of issues of general sales tax between the FBR and the fan industry in January the last.

FBR Gujrat region Commissioner Syed Zaigham Abbas, Deputy Commissioner Farooq Anwar and officials of GtCCI were also present at the two separate meetings held with the representatives of pottery and fan industries.

The representatives of the fan industry lodged strong protest against the Gujrat FBR office and apprised the commissioner of the issue of raids at their houses. The commissioner suspended the imposition of 40B on two factories. Under this section, FBR officials are authorised to sit at any unit round the clock to monitor the production, stocks, accounts and every movement at the site.

Some participants of the meeting also raised the issue of consistent pressure of the FBR on those major units that were exporting around half of their production to become part of the same agreement as these units were already registered and paying the GST on imports as well as on local sales of their products.

The chief commissioner expressed his displeasure over the state of affairs in Gujrat and promised to steer the local industry out of such a tense environment.

When the chief commissioner left the venue, a senior FBR officer of Gujrat region had a verbal clash with a local industrialist.

Earlier on Wednesday a delegation of local industrialists called on PML-Q leader MNA Chaudhry Moonis Elahi in Gujrat and apprised him of the situation being faced by the fan and pottery industry.

It is learnt that Mr Elahi assured them of raising their issues with Finance Minister Hafeez Sheikh.

Lightning: A room of the nursing hostel of the Jhelum District Headquarters Hospital caught fire apparently due to lightning during rain on Thursday.

Firefighters of the Rescue 1122 extinguished the fire. Students’ belongings, furniture and windows of in a room were burnt in the fire. No loss of life was reported.

MS Dr Farooq Bangash told reporters electricity supply to the hospital was also affected during the lightning.

It is learnt that an official meeting was underway in a room of the nursing hostel where fire erupted. Those present controlled the fire to some extent, before the arrival of rescuers.

SHOT DEAD: A young girl and her alleged lover were killed by the girl’s family in Samman village of Saddar police precincts on Thursday. Reports said Waqar and Habib took away 19-year-old Umair of the same village to girl Rabia’s house where they along with other family members shot both the boy and the girl dead.

Police reached the spot and shifted the bodies to Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital for autopsy after which the bodies were handed over to the families. A case was registered against eight people under sections 302, 148, 149 and 109 of Pakistan Penal Code on the report of Faiz Ahmed, an uncle of the slain youth.

The police arrested three suspects involved in the case including girl’s mother Asia Bibi, brother Shahzaib and a maternal uncle.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2020