PESHAWAR: The representatives of various traders’ bodies on Friday urged the government to avoid imposing additional taxes on the business community and stake steps for controlling inflation and bringing economic stability to the country.

The demands were raised during a joint meeting of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry and different bodies of the Peshawar traders chaired by SCCI president Eng Maqsood Anwar Pervez.

SCCI senior vice president Shahid Hussain, chairman Anjuman-i-Tajaran Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shaukat Ali Khan, president Anjuman-i-Tajaran Peshawar Mohammad Afzal, SCCI’s former president Zahidullah Shinwari, and others were also in attendance.

Keeping in view the complaints of traders’ bodies against different tax collection departments, the SCCI chief urged the government to take practical steps for facilitating the business community as additional taxes would bring national economy to a standstill because running business in the prevailing situation was becoming increasingly difficult.

Mr Pervez said property, professional, trade taxes and excise duty had created serious unrest among the people. He asked the trade leaders to take a unified stand to press the government for solution to their problems. He said the SCCI would continue to play role for resolution of problems being faced by the traders and industrialists.

Mr Pervez vowed to take entire business community on board in taking an effective strategy for resolution of their issues. He said the government had adopted ‘anti-business’ policies which had led to extremely negative impact on the economy.

Many investors, he said had shifted businesses from Peshawar due to hostile policies of the government, adding additional taxes on existing taxpayers had created a gulf between the government and traders.

Senior businessmen, including Shaukat Ali, Mohammad Afzal, Zahidullah Shinwari, Shahid Hussain gave different proposals for amicable resolution to the problems of the business community.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2020