GUJRAT: Business community on Thursday emphasised on the need of introducing reforms in existing tax laws to bring non-filers into the tax net and put an end to atmosphere of fear due to strict measures undertaken by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) against existing filers.

Representatives of more than a dozen chambers of commerce and industry including Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Sahiwal, Jhelum and Khanewal attended the ‘All Pakistan Conference’ hosted by Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President Aamir Numan.

In a joint declaration issued after the moot, representatives of chambers said that between May16-18 they will meet with the federal ministers for finance, commerce and industries in Islamabad to express their concerns and views on the upcoming budget and other government policies, particularly the issue of tax reforms and raids by the FBR.

“Economic and business activities across the country have been suffering a lot due to the ongoing harsh strategy of tax collection as factories are being shut, causing unemployment and loss of industrial production,” the joint declaration read.

Filers should not be sent notices by the FBR for at least six months to steer businesses out of current crisis-like situation, the declaration added.

The representatives also demanded inclusion of business community representatives in delegations accompanying Prime Minister Imran Khan on official visits abroad to facilitate growth of trade and industry.

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Almas Haider stressed the need to bring in tax reforms. “Cotton producing countries including Pakistan, India and Bangladesh could not secure benefits from the agricultural sector due to excessive taxation on raw material,” he observed.

He further said the business community should hire professional tax and corporate lawyers to reduce its tax woes.

AJK Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Sohail Shuja said the businessmen of Azad Kashmir had also been added as tax filers of Pakistan. Following the announcement of launching another tax amnesty scheme in Pakistan, the FBR should stop harassment of business community as whoever had not declared his or her assets, would now have a chance to make a declaration to legitimise the wealth and assets, he said.

The participants also commended the performance of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry for its role in the infrastructural development of the region by establishing a drum port, airport, an airline and other development projects.

However, presidents of Gujrat, Gujranwala and Sialkot chambers expressed concern over the dilapidated roads network connecting these three industrial cities as well as Wazirabad.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2019