Local traders have complained about issuance of property tax with excessive ratio and property tax notices by provincial Excise and Taxation department and decided they will raise the issue with Chief Minister, relevant ministers and officials for immediate remedial steps in this regard.

A meeting of traders community chaired by President of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz at the chamber on Tuesday.

Besides, Former presidents, Faiz Muhammad Faizi, Malik Niaz Awan, Riaz Arshad, ex-vice president Haris Mufti, executive member Aftab Iqbal, Hayatabad Industrialist Association Peshawar President Zarak Khan, Small Industrial Estate Kohat Road President, Waheed Arif Awan, a large number of traders and industrialists were present in the meeting.

Maqsood Pervaiz while speaking on the occasion expressed reservations over issuance of property tax notices to business community and increase in property tax by 50 per cent, double taxation and said the unilateral and excessive increase in rate of property tax is completely unjust with traders and could not acceptable to them.

He said it is highly regrettable that government is collecting additional taxes from taxpayers instead of taking measures to bring new people under the tax net. He said the provincial government subordinate institutions have adopted aggressive approach for collection of taxes from business community to enhance revenue base in the province, which could create mistrust between government and traders.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019