National Traders Alliance (NTA) Pakistan has welcomed the move of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to bring the biggest tax evaders into the tax net to enhance collection and assured government of their full support. While terming the Federal Board of Revenue leaders, NTA said that tax evaders deserved a stern action as their crimes have more devastating effect on the economy than NRO. It amounts to genocide of the poor.
The traders' body while welcoming the FBR move said that at present Islamabad was the most expensive city of the country and real estate mafia has played an important role in this regard, but unfortunately they were not paying a single penny to the national exchequer.
Trading community will help authorities in identification of tax evaders to boost tax collection that will assist country in war against terror, said Vice President, NTA Malik Sohail Hussain. He said that now the billionaire real estate mafia and business tycoons would try to mobilise traders to neutralise the FBR action, but traders will no more play in the hands. "I request small traders and market associations not to fall prey to these mafias who are using them since the last three decades," he said.
President NTA Islamabad Chapter Ishtiaq Qureshi was of the view that Property mafia, business magnates, landlords and professionals have been evading taxes since decades while small traders remain the target of tax collecting authorities which is not justified. Yousaf Rajpoot while welcoming the decision of the FBR said that those who are not discharging national obligations do not deserve any mercy.
He said that traders pay direct as well as indirect taxes while real estate mafia which earned billions during 2000-2007 artificial economic boom, are now living like kings but not paying any taxes. Hussain urged the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Chief Justice Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and Chairman FBR Sohail Ahmed to take serious note of the situation and act in the interest of country.