Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: An urgent meeting of traders representing different trade associations was held at the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) here on Monday.
The meeting was attended by Vice president Khalid Farooq Qazi, group leader Sohail Altaf, former presidents, representatives from traders associations, members of the executive committee and chamber members.
The meeting was summoned on recent incidents of alleged “harassment” and placing of FBR staff at different business centres of the city. Chairing the meeting, RCCI acting President Muhammad Nasir Mirza said, “Traders have a common voice that harassing traders in the name of collecting taxes must be stopped. FBR and income tax staff should treat traders with respect. Placing and appointing staff at different business centers as a watchdog to monitor business entries is against the basic human rights. Traders on many forums and in meetings with FBR requested that raids/action under section 40B of Sales Tax Act 1990 by FBR authorities on business premises of the tax payers must be stopped.”

Group leader Sohail Altaf said that the FBR chairman in his recent visit to the RCCI had given clear instructions that traders being highest tax payers must be treated with respect and that the FBR believes in partnership with the business community and consider them as a backbone of economy. “Unfortunately, this is not happening and the FBR harassing attitude pushing us to take extreme step and we might call for strike and shutter down.

Published in Daily Times, December 12^th 2017.