HYDERABAD, June 23: The Qasimabad Shopkeepers Welfare Association has criticized the levy of professional tax on the sale of meat, fish, poultry, vegetables and fruits by the Qasimabad taluka administration.

The shopkeepers, at an urgent meeting held here on Tuesday and presided over by Tanveer Shaikh, said that they were not able to pay the tax. They termed the tax illegal and demanded that its recovery should be immediately stopped and they should be granted exemptions in other taxes for at least three years.

They further demanded that a separate market for meat, fish, poultry, fruits and vegetables should be constructed by the TMA. They also criticized the setting up of an office by the EDO, community development, at the office of a disabled persons' organizations.

They demanded that the possession of the disabled persons premises should be vacated failing which the people of Qasimabad would stage protest demonstrations.

INCOME TAX: The income tax commissioner, local zone, Sardar Aminullah Khan has reminded all withholding agents that they are obliged to deduct tax at prescribed rates from payments to be made on account of salary, commission, contracts, supplies, services and other payments.

In a notification issued on Wednesday, he said that the deducted tax was to be deposited in banks and evidence thereof was to be furnished to the tax office concerned. He said that from a sample survey of some of the prescribed persons, it had been noted that certain government departments and private and public companies were not meeting the withholding tax obligations properly.

The commissioner advised all such organizations and business houses to deduct the tax at the time of payment and deposit the same under intimation to the income tax department.

He said that any lapses in this regard may be covered during the current month of June. He cautioned that the department was likely to start specific withholding tax audit of defaulting persons and may take penal action including creation of personal liability and penalties as per law.

He said that the action had so far been avoided as a part of government's policy to promote voluntary compliance of tax laws by educating and initiating tax-payers in meeting their tax obligations.

Opinion

Editorial

PTI in disarray
Updated 30 Nov, 2024

PTI in disarray

PTI’s protest plans came abruptly undone because key decisions were swayed by personal ambitions rather than political wisdom and restraint.
Tired tactics
30 Nov, 2024

Tired tactics

Matiullah's arrest appears to be a case of the state’s overzealous and misplaced application of the law.
Smog struggle
30 Nov, 2024

Smog struggle

AS smog continues to shroud parts of Pakistan, an Ipsos survey highlights the scope of this environmental hazard....
Solidarity with Palestine
Updated 29 Nov, 2024

Solidarity with Palestine

The wretched of the earth see in the Palestinian struggle against Israel a mirror of themselves.
Little relief for public
29 Nov, 2024

Little relief for public

INFLATION, the rate of increase in the prices of goods and services over a given period of time, has receded...
Right to education
29 Nov, 2024

Right to education

IT is troubling to learn that over 16,500 students of the University of Karachi (KU) have defaulted on fee payments...