A delegation from the Pakistan Hardware Merchants Association visited the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Head Office on Saturday and held a meeting with Sheikh Shakil Ahmed Dhingra, Acting President FPCCI to discuss matters of mutual interest; in particular, the harassment of hardware merchants by FBR officials and enforcement of SRO 191 with effect from March 1, 2012.
The delegation was led by Tariq Rasheed, Central Vice Chairman PHMA. Other members of the delegation were Iftikhar Ghani Vohra, Nadeem Kushtiwallah, Zahid Umar, Arshad Magoon, and Qamar Magoon. Also present on the occasion were Dawood Usman Jakhura, Ebrahim Panwalla, Nasiruddin Shiekh and other prominent businessmen.
Dhingra informed the PHMA delegation that FPCCI acts as a liaison body between the business community of the country and the Government of Pakistan. FPCCI has taken up the issue of harassment with FBR, and the Chairman FBR has assured FPCCI that prior to taking any action against the businessmen, FPCCI would be taken into confidence. He urged PHMA to form a committee to identify the genuine cases of misappropriation, so that action may only be taken against defaulters/evaders. Dhingra stressed that the business community of Pakistan wants government to increase the tax base and it does not support malpractice and tax evasion.-PR