Education sector: LCCI opposes imposition of commercialisation tax

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged the Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif to take notice of the imposition of exorbitant commercialisation tax on the education sector by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA). While addressing a delegation of over 100 owners and representatives of private schools, LCCI Vice President Kashif Anwar said LDA official during his recent visit to LCCI, had assured that private schools would not be sealed but still raids are being conducted for sealing private schools for the recovery of commercialisation fees.
MPA Nasreen Nawaz and All Pakistan Education Promotion Movement Chairman Fayyaz Khan were also present on the occasion. Kashif Anwar said that Punjab CM should take notice of the situation as it seems that some elements are trying to create bad image of the Punjab government that has taken various initiatives to promote the education in the province. He said that LDA officials should be directed by the CM to stop sending police teams for sealing private schools for the recovery of commercialisation fees.
He urged the Punjab government to bring down the rate of commercialisation fees that had recently been raised without consulting the stakeholders. He said that the LCCI understands that all those businesses that are earning profit should be taxed but that the rate of taxes must not be high enough to cost that business. He said that all those education institution which were charging fees up to Rs 2,500 per month should be given some space by reducing the commercialisation tax that was exorbitantly high. Earlier, the head of the delegation informed the LCCI vice president that commercialisation tax had been raised to the level that some schools are unable to afford it. He said that it was also unjustified to send police for the recovery of dues; therefore, this practice should immediately be stopped in the larger interest of education system in the country. He said that they wanted the government to reconsider its decision on commercialisation fees to bring it down to manageable level.