Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) has hailed the government's decision to restore two-day gas supply to the industry in Punjab and to withdraw cases against LCCI office-bearers. PIAF Chairman Sohail Lashari in a statement on Monday said that it would have been wiser on the part of the government if it had taken the decision before the launching of protests and sit-ins.
He said that the protests in all the major cities of the province had proved that the businessmen could do anything to save economy, which was in the larger interests of the country. He said that the entire business community was unable to understand why the Federal Board of Revenue was playing the role of silent spectator and not giving any advice to the concerned government quarters that halt to industrial wheel would badly affect tax collection.
He said that the FBR was doing the other way round and always comes up with some sort of very controversial policy making. He citing the example of SRO 821(I) and said that despite repeated requests by the business community, the FBR chairman was unmoved over this SRO that would multiply the problems of the business community. He said that the FBR instead of spending all its energies on the implementation of SRO 821(I) should focus on evolving a methodology to tax the untaxed sectors as it was the only solution to raise tax-to-GDP ratio. Lashari said that all the institutions would have to work hand in hand to get rid of the challenges being faced by the economy.