ISLAMABAD - Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani on Tuesday sought a report from ministries of finance and law, and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on alleged violation of tax exemption extended to traders and investors of erstwhile FATA.
The Chairman Senate sought the report after his meeting with 40-member delegation of industrialists from former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) here at Parliament House, said a statement issued by the Senate Secretariat.
The delegation informed the Chairman Senate that after the merger of FATA in 2018, the government had given tax exemption to the area for five years, but on the contrary, “through various tactics,” the steel and ghee industry had been deprived of this exemption through the Finance Bill 2019.
Sanjrani assured the delegation that relevant ministers and representatives of concerned ministries and departments would be called soon for a meeting for the solution of the issue.
Apprising the Senate Chairman about the behaviour of FBR, the delegation members said, “The FBR neither facilitate nor gives concessions as per law. Moreover, all kinds of bank accounts of the business class associated with steel and ghee industries have been frozen.”
“Due to the unnecessary behaviour of the concerned authorities, more than 40 steel units and some units of ghee industries have been shut down, leaving thousands people jobless,” a member of the delegation said.Sanjrani assured the delegation that their rights would never be compromised in any way and tax exemption for five years would be ensured accordingly and in line with law.
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan on several occasions had directed the concerned ministries to provide concessions for the promotion of trade activities and development of industries to the ex-FATA to develop these areas at par with other parts of the country.
