KARACHI, May 16: Exporters have condemned the Sales Tax Department for seeking records of last 10 years, which is against the statutory requirement that fixes record requirement period for not more than three years.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association chairman Jawaid Bilwani said that a large number of PHMA members had received notices from the sales tax department seeking last 10 years’ record.

He said that it was a well-known fact that exporters in order to file refund claims had to submit detailed records, therefore, all such records were lying with the ST department.

Mr Bilwani expressed surprise over the move and said that one cannot understand as to how such a large number of exporters, who have received these notices, can get away with excess refund claims.

He further said that sales tax refund claims were not allowed without proper processing and approval of high officials of the department. He urged the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to immediately withdraw such notices particularly when these were being served at a time when zero rating of textiles exports had been in vague for over a year.