Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry has expressed resentment over crackdown on major stores and registered tax-payers on pretext of tax-evasion, launched by regional tax office Peshawar. The chamber demanded that the deployment of FBR teams from outside mega stores should be withdrawn immediately and give due respect to all registered tax-payers. In a press statement issued here on Friday, the chamber president Faiz Mohammad Faizi said that the move would not discourage the tax-payers but also create mistrust between government and the business community, which will prove harmful for the national economy as well.
He alleged that the regional tax office has started harassment of traders during crackdown in Peshawar city, Cantt, University Road, and Ring Road along with adjacent trade and business hub in the province. He said the KP business community is already reeling due terrorism and unfavorable conditions.
Faizi called the action against real tax-payers is a conspiracy, while the regional tax authorities failed to bring new tax-payers in the net and taking action against non-filers, now the RTO took action against already registered tax-payers to hidden their failure and create further problems for the government.
SCCI chief said despite paying regular taxes, the tax-payers have shown them as tax-evaders and created a dreadful environment by deployment of FBR teams on their stores, which was unacceptable to them. He said that business community is being faced with difficulties due to flaws in existing tax system.