KCCI slams FBR for its ‘authoritarian’ conduct, ‘indifference’

KARACHI: President Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Muhammad Jawed Bilwani criticised the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for its authoritarian conduct and indifference towards the Business Anomalies Committee, comprising presidents of Chambers of Commerce and leaders of trade bodies from across the country. In a powerful move, the KCCI, after thorough consultations with its members, has launched a full-scale protest by displaying bold banners across Karachi against the oppressive measures proposed in the Finance Bill 2025–26, particularly the insertion of Section 37AA in Sales Tax Act.

In a statement issued, Bilwani said, “This is just the beginning. The protest will escalate, press conferences will follow not only by KCCI but also by other major Chambers across Pakistan. And if our demands are ignored, we may be left with no option but to call for citywide or even nationwide strikes.

I appeal to the entire business community, especially small traders, to stand united with KCCI if such a call is made.”

Bilwani criticised the Finance minister’s repeated claims that the budget is “public-friendly” and “business-friendly”, stating that these claims are totally contrary to reality. “Industrialists and exporters across the board are unanimous; there is absolutely no relief in this budget.

He painted a grim picture of Pakistan’s business environment, citing soaring energy costs, substandard electricity, gas shortages, water unavailability, and delayed tax refunds that have paralyzed liquidity.

“Exports are not thriving because of any government policy. They are sustained solely due to the resilience and global reputation of our business community. In fact, many of our international buyers are urging us to shift operations to other countries where conditions are stable, sustainable, and truly pro-business.”

Highlighting the most controversial provision, Section 37AA, Bilwani labeled it as a draconian law that defies all norms of justice.

“This section empowers FBR to freeze bank accounts, seize funds, and arrest taxpayers based merely on suspicion, even those who have been tax-compliant for decades. Is this a fair thing to do? Who will continue to do business in such a hostile climate?”

He revealed that many businessmen are now asking KCCI to form a committee to guide them on how to relocate their businesses abroad so they can operate in a safer, fairer environment.

“But we are still here. We want to stay, we want to contribute, and we want the Prime Minister and the government to hear us and give us the confidence we need to make sound business decisions.”

Bilwani emphasised that this is not just Karachi’s grievance.

“Faisalabad, Lahore, Sialkot, all major export hubs, are echoing the same concerns. These cities including Karachi house most of Pakistan’s industries and top taxpayers, yet they are being sidelined. If this continues and the people support us, we will not hesitate to call for strikes.”

He also slammed the FBR for its mishandling of the Business Anomalies Committee meeting, calling it “pathetic and humiliating.” Despite the presence of senior business leaders, the FBR failed to send officials to listen to critical recommendations. Instead of a proper Zoom link, a Cisco link full of flaws was shared, resulting in technical chaos as participants were unable to understand the audio or view the presentation slides.

“The Member IR showed up after a long delay, spoke for barely five minutes, and then disappeared, demonstrating the government’s total lack of seriousness. To make matters worse, the anomalies list shared during the meeting didn’t even include the issues raised by chambers, it only reflected inputs from a select few. Disgusted by this farce, most members walked out of the meeting and submitted their resignations, rightly concluding it was a complete waste of time.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025