The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) on Saturday welcomed withdrawal of the fixed tax for retailers and shopkeepers imposed through electricity bills for a year. Senior office bearers of the SCCI Hasnain Khurshid Ahmad, Vice president Imran Khan Mohmand and vice president Javed Akhtar in a joint statement issued here said that government withdrew the fixed tax for retailers and shopkeepers imposed through electricity bills for a year after a successful talk with leaders of trader’s community at central level, which according to them, the move highly admirable and appreciable. They viewed the government’s business-friendly policies would bring economic stability and flourish trade and economic activities in the country. A few days ago, the federal government decided to withdraw the fixed tax regime on electricity bills for small traders who can benefit from this for a period of one year. Hasnain Khurshid said the traders played a pivotal role in the economic development of the country through paying various taxes. Therefore, he asked the government to provide them facilities and incentives and refrained from enforcement of anti-business policies to avoid elevating miseries of the trading community. The trade body office bearers said traders ensured timely payment of all taxes. However, they said the collection of double taxes was completely intolerable and would be protested against at every level. The SCCI president urged the government to make proper consultation with the business community before imposition of new taxes and policies in order to avoid creating any kind of vacuum between government’s institutions and the trader’s community. KP business community, which early badly affected by terrorism and later now being faced with great hardship owing to several waves of novel coronavirus so it was essential that the government should take steps for ease of doing business instead of enforce anti-traders’ policies, said Khurshid. The chamber president asked the government to announce special incentives to revive the Covid-19 hit industries and businesses. On the occasion, Hasnain Khurhsid urged the government to review recent increases in electricity and gas tariffs. He also demanded uninterrupted electricity and gas supply to industries and business premises. He said the SCCI had always backed the government’s business-friendly policies and expressed the hope that the policies would be sustained in future for economic stability in the country.