Working class be exempted from flood surcharge

ISLAMABAD Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tuesday urged the government to give exemption to working class from flood surcharge. Forceful implementation of taxes increases problems and unilateral decision of the government forgetting flood surcharge will put further burden especially on the salaried segment, which was already under a tremendous economic pressure due to unprecedented hike in the daily consumable items and uncontrolled inflation, said Mahfooz Elahi President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce. Working class was in difficultly in meeting the daily necessary requirements and levying flood surcharge was not a justified action by the government. At the time of food people of Pakistan responded positively like at the time of massive earthquake and extended great financial and material support to the people in need, he said. A large number of people were still contributing for the rehabilitation of affected. He was of the view that Government must adopt positive measures to collect taxes and to create trust of the people. Tax department should review its taxation system and through rationalisation of taxes and consultative process with the business community device a mechanism to increase tax base and revenues, he stressed. Elahi said that Government must reconsider its decision of taking flood surcharge and emphasised that especially working class must be exempted from it. He further expressed that forceful implementation of unnecessary taxes would discourage the existing taxpayers and bringing more people in the tax net.

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