Sindh Minister for Finance, Energy, Planning & Development and Irrigation Syed Murad Ali Shah, after thoroughly listening to Karachi Chamber’s concerns and its suggestions, said that two separate meetings would be held next week to thoroughly discuss the KCCI’s budget proposals and to redress the problems being faced by business and industrial community in dealing with the Sindh Revenue Board (SRB).
Exchanging views during his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), the minister said that most of the issues raised in today’s meeting were pertaining to SRB which would be discussed in detail at SRB’s Office whereas the KCCI’s suggestions on budget would also be deliberated in a separate meeting next week with a view to reach consensus and accordingly incorporate the same in the forthcoming budget.
Sindh Minister for Local Government Jam Khan Shoro, Secretary Finance Sohail Rajput, Chairman Sindh Revenue Board Tashfeen Khalid Niaz, Chairman Businessmen Group and former president KCCI Siraj Kassam Teli, Vice Chairmen BMG and former presidents KCCI Tahir Khaliq, Zubair Motiwala and Haroon Farooki, President KCCI Younus Muhammad Bashir, Senior Vice President KCCI Zia Ahmed Khan, Vice President KCCI Naeem Sharif, former president KCCI AQ Khalil and KCCI managing committee members were present on the occasion.
Expressing dismay over the attitude of federal government, the minister said that it was not a business-friendly government. Unfortunately, they were not doing anything for Sindh which had resulted in intensifying the problems for Sindh government. “If the Sindh government comes out to protest against the federal government’s approach, will you (business community of Karachi) support us?” he asked.
BMG Chairman Siraj Kassam Teli immediately agreed to Shah’s opinion about the federal government and assured him that he would accompany the minister in any press conference to be held against the approach of federal government. Responding to the grievances being faced by indenters due to SRB notices, the minister assured that no notice would be issued until the issue of services sales tax on indenters was amicably resolved.
Sindh Minister for Local Government Jam Khan Shoro informed that some of the mega projects at an estimated cost of Rs 10 billion would be initiated for development of road infrastructure of Karachi which includes expansion of Shahrah-e-Faisal, remodeling of underpasses, construction of roads and flyovers at University Road and many similar projects in different localities.
Teli said that people of Karachi had been facing the step-motherly attitude by the federal government. It was a matter of grave concern that the present government, during the last three budgets, had exercised its discretionary powers by cut-pasting the controversial excise laws, he added.
He said that nobody at the Assembly acknowledged the massive revenue contribution of 65 percent by the Karachi city and always came up with excuses that the enormous contribution by Karachi was probably due to ports. “It is a matter of grave concern that nobody at the National Assembly bothers to highlight the thefts and wrongdoing at the dry ports,” he added.
He said that FBR had ruined the business climate of Karachi and it was very disappointing that the federal government was more focusing on Lahore and less on Karachi. “We don’t know to whom we take our case to as the federal government has been creating problems through the FBR and now the PPP government has also started doing the same by sending SRB notices,” he added.
“We will only support SRB if it takes the right move “, he added. Siraj Teli said that SRB had the right to collect taxes but the procedure needed to be reviewed and they must revisit the way they deal with business and industrial community and strictly avoid arm-twisting tactics.
He urged the finance minister to give an exact deadline for resolving the issues faced by the business and industrial community in dealing with SRB. On the occasion, SRB Chairman Tashfeen Khalid Niaz, while terming an FBR letter containing clarification of services sector as ‘illegal’, said that this letter was unacceptable for him.
