LAHORE: The Anjuman-e-Tajran Badami Bagh President Waqar Ahmad Mian has congratulated Khalid Pervaiz, a renowned leader of the business community, for assuming charge as the acting president of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran and urged him to convene an emergent meeting of traders on the issue of “forced” reformed General Sales Tax (GST).
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, Waqar Ahmad Mian said that the business community was strongly opposing the reformed General Sales Tax but Senate Committee approved the bill without considering its ominous effects on the calamitous-hit business community.
He said that while following the dictation of IMF, imposition of RGST was not only a big blow to the trade and industry but would also further increase prices of daily use items.
He said that careless and atrocious policies of the present regime had pushed the country towards annihilation. He believed that reformed General Sales Tax (GST) was like last straw on the back of camel and traders would not accept it at any cost.
He maintained that the reformed GST would further aggravate the misery of business community which was already facing several crises like energy deficit, macabre law and order situation and high input cost.
He said that PPP government had never bothered to consult with the real stakeholders as he believed that the forced GST would decrease the purchasing power of the masses while common man will be left with no other option but to commit suicide.
He said that before imposition of reformed GST, businessmen would have to make complete documentation to move to electronic tax system, but it will take years. He said that the new electronic refund system was in test phase and it was still not clear whether the tax authorities would be able to countrywide replicate the new system of the withdrawal of zero rating facility. “Reformed GST is a mockery of words and PPP government is making fun of the Pakistani nation”, he said.
