RAWALPINDI: The fixed tax imposed on electricity bills for traders should be withdrawn as this has been done indiscriminately.

The budget speech and finance bill 2022-23 has a contradiction with respect to procedure.

It is very unfortunate that those who have received an electricity bill of Rs100 have also been sent a tax of Rs3,000.

Tier 1 category should be maintained for the jewellery sector on the basis of 1,000 square feet.

These views were expressed by Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) President Nadeem Rauf in a meeting with the chairman of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Dr Asim Ahmed.

Member planning and member customs were also present in the meeting. Former presidents Najam Rehan, Raja Aamir Iqbal, Malik Shahid Saleem, representatives from Anjuman Tajran Sheikh Hafeez, Fayaz Qureshi, executive member Waseem Riaz and chamber member Khalil Noon were also present in the meeting.

Mr Rauf said that declared property should be exempted from deemed income tax, and notices should be issued to non-filers.

He added that 17 percent sales tax on bakery products is excessive as these are daily items and there is no luxury on which 17pc is levied, he added.

“We demand that this harassment be stopped. Filers should be given incentives as this will help in documenting the economy,” he said.

Dr Asim assured the delegation that the finance minister is looking into the issue of fixed tax and it is being advertised through newspapers and media that if the tax has been wrongly calculated, it will be adjusted in the future bills.

The FBR chairman welcomed the proposal of the chamber members related to broadening the tax net and also issued instructions for immediate restoration of Tax Advisory Committees at the regional level.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2022