KARACHI: President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh has stated that under Tajir Dost Scheme small shopkeepers and traders were being served notices to submit hefty tax of Rs60,000 every month, which was not affordable at all for any shopkeeper; hence, the FBR must be directed to immediately withdraw all the notices whereas the implementation of Tajir Dost Scheme must also be deferred for a period of at least three months.

President KCCI said, “It seems that the tax officials are trying to make Tajir Dost Scheme a failure as notices are being served to everyone including registered and unregistered individuals. Although it was assured that a mere tax of not more than Rs1,000 to Rs1,200 would be charged for small shopkeepers but it wasn’t happening at all as everyone has been served notices to submit the unbearably high tax of Rs60,000, which most of the shopkeepers find impossible to pay.”

He stressed that Tajir Dost Scheme, which is marred with serious flaws, needs to be revisited in consultation with all stakeholders so that the perturbed shopkeepers, already battling hard for survival in the ongoing era of inflation, could be saved from further disaster.

Iftikhar Sheikh said that inflation triggered by exorbitantly high utility tariffs has already created a situation wherein the shopkeepers were hardly able to earn their bread and butter. “In this scenario, the demand to submit excessively high tax of Rs60,000 every month would leave no other choice for shopkeepers but to close down their shops forever which would create more problems for public and economy,” he added.

He also noted that the tax collection authority has issued notices to shopkeepers of various markets regardless of considering whether the individual was a registered or unregistered person which has triggered a lot of anxiety. “We are totally against the unjust demand for such a hefty tax, which should neither be applied to registered or to unregistered persons.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024