LAHORE - The recent case of grilling of an Indian importer for duty evasion by tax authorities is a clear message how non-serious India is regarding trade with Pakistan.
As per sources, Indian police on last Monday filed an FIR against an Amritsar-based cement dealer Harish Kumar and booked an auto rickshaw and a Maruti car for allegedly importing goods from Pakistan while bypassing duties and taxes in Punjab allegedly through fraudulent means. The move came days after a number of traders from Punjab came under the scanner for evading tax on goods brought in for consumption in the state.
Sources revealed that tax issue is just an eyewash, the traders importing goods from Pakistan are harassed on one pretext or another. Kumar would be required to pay taxes to the tune of Rs 62.62 lakh. Now, in addition to the due tax, he will be liable to pay a penalty of 200% so that he does not dare doing business with Pakistan. Cement is the only item which is making its way through Wahga border but the exports are on steep decline despite Pakistan being a most favored nation for India and cement being in huge demand in Indian markets.