FBR to take FPCCI into confidence on budget proposals

Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Ansar Javed on Sunday said the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), an apex body in the country, will be fully taken into confidence on budget and other taxation proposals.
Talking to a 20-member high level delegation of traders drawn from all over the country led by SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry VP Iftikhar Ali Malik, he categorically announced that FBR and Federal Ministry of Finance will give due weight to all concrete and viable proposals of the FPCCI and other chambers and said he will hold meetings with FPCCI in this regard.
He pointed out that FBR is facing nearly 30 percent shortfall in revenue collection target set for the current fiscal year which he hoped will be achieved till the end of June through good governance by appointing top officers with highest degrees of integrity coupled with professional competence.
He said all officers of FBR posted in field formations have also been directed to expedite pending adjudication cases of tax payers without further loss of time within the ambit of law so that tax payers could pay their financial liabilities timely.
Javed said since his induction in income the tax group in 1979, he always attached great importance to tax payers, the main sources of strength of the national economy. He said he had also directed all members, chief commissioners, chief collectors and commissioners and collectors to redress genuine problems being confronted by traders, importers and exporters.
On the other hand, he said, business community must pay their due taxes timely and contribute their shares towards nation building. He said the business community always contributed a major chunk towards the national exchequer and their solid and concrete proposals will be taken care of so that more revenue could be collected besides improving the national economy. The FBR chairman said direct interaction of private sector at highest level would yield positive results besides restoration of confidence of foreign and local investors.
Iftikhar Ali Malik stressed the need for evolving “Pakistan friendly and business friendly” fiscal policies so that economic growth could be accelerated on priority in real terms. He said the entire business community was loyal to the country and ready to brave all challenges, provided they were taken into confidence before giving a final shape to national policies related to trade.
He hoped that the charter of economy will be prepared with a consensus of the business community that would bail the country out of a bleak economic condition. He said elected office-bearers of FPCCI and other chambers must be made
permanent members in all policy making forums at federal and provincial government levels to make them viable in future.