LAHORE – The government should look to provide an atmosphere conducive to the promotion of business, rather than just focusing at levying new taxes. Promulgation of presidential ordinance for levy of reformed General Sales Tax (GST) and flood surcharge will hurt business activity, showing disassociation of the government from the business community. These views were expressed by the Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) Chairman Sohial Lashari, Senior Vice-Chairman Nadir Kamal Usman, Vice Chairman Junaid Iqbal Sheikh and Lahore Towship Industries Association (LTIA) Chairman Haroon Shafiq Chaudhry, in a joint statement issued on Saturday.
They said that the government should remove irritants in promotion of business and industrial activities in order to generate greater revenues and employment opportunities. They asserted that businessmen, FPCCI and PIAF have frequently advised the government to keep tax payers away from a further burden. They had advised broadening of the tax net instead of a mere concentration on increasing revenues by pressurising the already taxed. They said that the earlier government had deferred imposition of reformed GST on extreme resistance from masses and had realised ground realities. However, the bid to enforcement through a presidential ordinance is equal to avoiding public opinion. PIAF leaders stressed that influential and those out of the tax net should be taxed. They said that people will pay taxes willing if rulers and parliamentarians set an example of honest tax payment.
Sohail Lashri and other business leaders said that their community has always come forward in the time of need. It has helped flood victims beyond their resources and has constructed houses for flood hit masses. Despite this, flood surcharge is being levied, which is shear injustice. Businessmen said that surging electricity tariff, absence of effort to increase electricity generation, closure of gas to industries and high petroleum products rates are hindrances to business development.
