Export to Afghanistan: poplar's wood exporters worried over illegal tax

Exporters have expressed concern over illegal tax on export of poplar's wood to Afghanistan, said Chairman, All Peshawar Poplar Wood Dealers Association, Khair Mohammad speaking at a news conference, here on Friday. He said that the forest department was charging Rs 1,50,000 per truck on the directive of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Forest, Wajid Ali Khan.
Poplar's wood exporters were registered with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and paid regularly taxes and custom duties, he said, adding that despite paying Rs 22,000 per truck, the provincial forest department was charging additional Rs 1,50,000. Mohammad said that seven influential persons were involved in collection of illegal tax, which was registered by the department concerned. He added that a number of vehicles were cleared at Afghan border on single receipt. He said that the government was re-bidding export of steel from Punjab to Afghanistan, but the poplar wood wasn't included in the category.
He said that they had charged millions of rupees on export of poplar's wood to Afghanistan, therefore number of poplar's wood trucks had been reduced from 25 to three. He said that they had registered complaints with National Accountability Bureau, FBR, FIA and Anti-corruption but they did not pay heed to the issue. He demanded for immediate stoppage of illegal tax collection.
He appealed to the Chief Justice, Supreme Court, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to take suo-moto notice against the illegal tax collection. He also demanded of the FBR to take action against the Provincial Minister for Forest, Wajid Ali Khan. Later, All Peshawar Polpar Wood Dealers Association held a protest demonstration in favour of their demands.