LAHORE - On demand of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics & Privatisation has made it clear through a notification that in future no raid would be conducted by the FBR officials without the permission of the FBR chairman or a member concerned at any industry, factory or shop holders who are taxpayers/filers.

This was revealed by LCCI President Abdul Basit while addressing a press conference here at the LCCI on Friday. The LCCI president said that the Lahore chamber had a meeting with the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics & Privatisation in Islamabad and underlined the issues of misuse of discretionary powers of the Inland Revenue Officers under section 38A, 38B, 40A, 40B, 176 & 177 and raids on business premises.

He said that Senate Committee Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla took a prompt action and recommended that in future no raid would be conducted by the FBR officials without the permission of the FBR chairman or a member concerned at any industry, factory or shop holders, who are taxpayers/filers.

He said that through notification, businessmen are also advised to complain to the FBR chairman, under intimation to the Senate Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatisation, along with all the evidences in case of raid/misuse of discretionary powers by the FBR officers.

Basit said that the issue of misuse of discretionary powers by the FBR staff and raids of business premises was badly affecting the business environment as FBR officers were used to enter into the premises of tax filers along with the large number of security personnel for threatening and harassing them without the permission of the FBR chairman or member concerned. He said that Mandviwalla deserve appreciation for taking immediate action that would certainly reduce the miseries of the business community and would improve the business environment.