LAHORE: An enforcement team of the Punjab Revenue Authority faced resistance from traders after a hotel at Kasur was sealed on Wednesday for not being registered with the authority for sales tax compliance.

Another team served final sealing notices in Urdu language on 29 hotels, motels and restaurants at Lakshami Chowk and on Abbot Road on Thursday amid food businesses concern over their future which they claim had already been jeopardised by Orange Line Metro Train project.

An official told Dawn that a PRA team constituted by Additional Commissioner Shahzad Mehmood Gondal and led by Deputy Commissioner Zakaullah visited Kasur on Wednesday to seal businesses of six tax evaders.

He said first in the line was Driver Hotel near Lilyani Adda where the PRA team faced resistance from the owner who also alerted other shopkeepers and traders of the town, instigating them to stage “protest” against the authority.

Authority serves notices on Lakshmi, Abbot Road eateries

The official said in no time traders, including tax ‘evaders’, started pulling their shutters down. They later assembled outside the Driver Hotel to protest the sealing operation.

He said soon local political representatives and trade leaders also joined the protesters who tried to intimidate the PRA officials. However, after realising that their strong arm tactics won’t work they came to negotiating table.

After an extensive round of negotiations and furnishing of guarantees by some influential locals, besides submission of a “surety cheque” worth Rs500,000 by the hotel owner, Latif Bhutta, the premises was unsealed, he said.

The official said during the negotiations, ex-MPA Sardar Malik Safdar, Kasur Anjuman-i-Tajiran president Rana Farooq and PML-N leader Malik Mubashir assured the PRA team that they would help the officials bring all the unregistered businesses into the tax net in a week’s time.

The eateries targeted during the PRA operation for sealing or serving final notices include Driver Hotel, Paradise Restaurant, Chaudhry BBQ/Fast Food, Al Hafiz Food, Al-Zai BBQ, Al Fazl Restaurant, Shoukat Cheska House, Jawaid Fish, Shafiq BBQ, King and Queen, Nafees Food, Al-Baik Falooda, New Ayoob Foods, Al Nafay Foods, Gulam Hotel, Hot Chicks, Lala Sadiq Kasuri Falooda, Sheikh Asif Fish Corner, Bismillah Falooda and Ashraf Falooda.

Meanwhile, a PRA team in Lahore visited Lakshmi Chowk and Abbot Road and served notices on the unregistered eateries, including Lahore Broast, Hafiz Butt, Butt Karahi Tikka, Nirala Butt Karahi Tikka, Butt Family Restaurant, Lasani Restaurant, Punjab Handi, Butt Sweet, Benazir Dahi Bhally, Kaka Hotel, Malik Javaid,

Al Fazal Hotel, Munna Murgh Channy, King Charga House, Shahi Murgh Chanay, New Ghani G Restaurant, Tooba Restaurant, Nishat Café, Hotel Lahore City, United Hotel, Haji Baba Karahi, Hotel Sanai, Kashmiri Dal Chawal, Koh-i-Noor Hotel, Bhatti Karahi, Niralla Butt Karahi, Mashaallah Karahi, Darbar-i-Khas Restaurant and Kaka Gurda Chanp.

A PRA source said the traders who were served notices though pledged getting registered within stipulated period of time, they blamed the PML-N led Punjab government for ruining their businesses by launching metro train project.

He said the traders said the PRA wanted to get them registered for sales tax at a time when their clientele was getting thin because of initial excavation work started on one side of the road between Lakshmi Chowk and Lahore Hotel Chowk.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2015