KARACHI: President North Karachi Association of Trade & Industry (NKATI) Faisal Moiz Khan, while expressing deep concerns over the imposition of 20% additional sales tax (AST) on electricity bills by K Electric (KE), has demanded the government to withdraw the increase immediately.

In a statement, he asked that K-Electric should be stopped from looting the industrial community; otherwise, industries that are already struggling to survive would go to destruction opening a floodgate to unemployment.

He said that 20% additional sales tax has been levied on the electricity bills sent to industries by KE. While KE is already levying 17% sales tax on electricity bills, so there is no justification for imposing an additional 20% sales tax.

“Forcible collection of additional sales tax from registered consumers in sales tax is a total injustice which will increase the cost of production, immensely, which will have a very bad effect on the country’s exports and industrial production activities,” he said.

Faisal Moiz Khan demanded the government to take notice of the imposition of 20% additional sales tax on electricity bills by K-Electric and withdraw this decision immediately and provide conducive business and industrial environment in line with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision of making it easier to do business and run industries. Otherwise, it will be impossible for industrialists to run their factories, said NKATI president, adding if the government wants industries to flourish and create more employment opportunities, then anti-business and anti-industrial measures must be avoided, so that the domestic industries can get back on their feet in the face of the dire economic situation due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021