PESHAWAR - Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has expressed resentment over a crackdown on major stores and registered tax-payers on pretext of tax evasion, by regional tax office Peshawar.
It demanded the deployment of FBR teams from outside mega stores should be withdrawn immediately and to give due respect to all registered tax-payers. In a press statement issued here on Friday, the chamber president Faiz Muhammad Faizi said that the move would not only discourage the taxpayers but also create mistrust between government and the business community, and that will prove harmful for the national economy as well.
He alleged the regional tax office has started harassment of traders during crackdown in Peshawar city, Cantt, on main University road, University Town, Ring Road along with adjacent trade and business hub in the province. He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa business community is already reeling due terrorism and unfavorable situations.
Faizi called the action against real taxpayers is a conspiracy, while the Regional tax authorities failed to bring new taxpayers in net and taking action against non-filers, now the RTO took action against already registered taxpayers to hidden their failure and creating further problems for the government.
The SCCI chief said despite the paying regular taxes, the taxpayers have shown them as tax-evaders and created a dreadful environment by deployment of FBR teams on their stores, which was unacceptable to them.
“We always demand to enhance existing tax-base by bringing new people under the tax-net, instead of putting additional burden of taxes on already registered taxpayers”, SCCI chief said.
However, he said that instead of determined responsible of failure to bring tax-evaders under the tax-net, FBR has started harassment of existing tax-payers.
He said that business community is being faced with difficulties due to flaws in existing tax system. So, he said if the registered taxpayers would blame for failure in broadening current tax-base that could be brought negative results.
SCCI president recalled that Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced to provide facilities to registered tax-payers. But now the regional tax authorities initiated crackdown against the registered tax-payers, he lamented and added the business community is against the tax-evaders or non-filers, but it was unbearable to present already registered tax-payers as tax-evaders.