MULTAN
Rejecting 0.3 % withholding tax on bank transactions, the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) declared on Thursday to join hands with the traders in their movement against what they declared as cruel and illegal tax.
The decision was made during a meeting of the executive committee of PCGA and the acting Chairman Ramesh Lal announced it. The meeting was also attended by the Chairman of Ginners group Haji Muhammad Akram, Vice Chairman Rao Sadaruddin, Ex-Chairmen Amanullah Qureshi, Sheikh Muhammad Saeed, Ex-Vice chairmen Shehzad Ali Khan, Suhail Mehmood Haral, Khawaja Muhammad Farooq, Ghulam Mustafa Khandwa, Khawaja Atiqur Rehman, Khalid Hanif Lodhi, Malik Aqueelur rehman Bhutta, Mian Tariq Javed, Munawar Iqbal, Zaid Ali Khan, Sheikh Muhammad Ayyub, Younas Kaselia, Khawaja Muhammad Azam, Khawaja Riaz Siddiqui,and Khawaja Ashfaq Hussain. The meeting unanimously rejected the Sugar mills policy of Present Government regarding the shifting of Sugar mills in core cotton areas or granting permission to establish sugar mills in cotton zone. It demanded for immediate withdrawal of relaxation in Cotton zone policy and cancel the licences of sugar mills established in core cotton zone. The meeting bitterly criticised the taxation policy of the present government and said that Government had put extra burden of tax on those who are already paying taxes. The meeting also rejected the reduced rate of withholding tax on the banking transactions .It said that ginners have to pay billions of rupees to the growers in cotton season .How can ginning community afford this deduction on payment. and it would also affect the growers indirectly. They announced to join the protesting traders if the federal government did not withdraw withholding tax on banking transactions.
PCGA election schedule: Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA)’s Central Executive Committee has announced the schedule for the election 2015-16. It said election for the chairman and vice chairmen of PCGA would be held on September 22 and CEC has issued the interim list of eligible voters on zone basis and formed an election committee headed by Sajjad Hussain Goraya Chief Election Commissioner, Khawaja Muhammad Farooq and Mehfooz Ahmed Bajwa its members.
Muhammad Asif Khalil, secretary general of PCGA and Tauqeer Shah would be returning officer and deputy returning officer. The voters can amend or correct the name of their firm names till July 23rd and Agenda of PCGA’s general body meeting would be declared on July 25th.While objections regarding the voter list would be decided on August 5th.
The CEC approved the appointment of election commission, returning officers, election rules. The CEC also reviewed the forthcoming cotton season and hoped that cotton production would be better in spite of water shortage and not achievement of sowing targets.