The PIAF Chairman Sohail Lashari has urged the Federal Board of Revenue to stop tax officials from harassing the already crisis-hit business community in the name of tax collection and warned trade bodies of a strong protest if this practice was not discontinued.
In a press statement issued here on Friday, Sohail Lashari said that the present regime has disappointed the business community and has failed to show its commitment in resolving difficulties faced by trade and industry.
He said that groundless policies have thrown the industrial sector into deep mire. He stated that the business community is already faced with prolonged electricity and gas shortages and soaring inflation, in addition to the discretionary powers of tax officials. He said that hostile and unfavorable policies had drove thousands industrial units to the closure, besides leaving thousands of industrial workers jobless.
He said that massive energy crisis and lack of conducive business environment had almost halted the production of remaining industry. He said that, instead of giving relief measures, FBR officials were busy in adding fuel to the fire and multiplying woes of business community.
He said that PIAF had received a number of complaints that the Department was unnecessarily harassing the business community. He said that all the leading economies were giving incentives to expedite economic activities in their respective countries. However, in Pakistan, people sitting at the helm of affairs were doing the otherwise.
