Business community urged the provincial government to rationalize property tax and abolish double taxation to flourish businesses and industries in the province.

Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz, President of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry discussed this issue with Secretary Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Syed Zafar Ali Shah during a meeting which held at the chamber house, here on Wednesday.

It was agreed to form a high-level committee of government officials and representatives from business community, which will review issues pertaining to property tax.

The Secretary Excise and Taxation, Zafar Ali Shah, assured on the occasion that the property tax will be charged by measurement of covered areas of shops, markets and other properties instead of rental basis. The senior official said his department will take possible steps to remove grievances of business community regarding property tax . Shahid Hussain, SCCI Senior Vice President, former presidents Faiz Mohammad Faizi, Adeel Rauf, members of the chamber executive committee, Director General Excise and Taxation, Fayaz Ali Shah, Director Excise, Salauddin and Javed Khalji, Office-bearers of Swat, Kohat, Haripur, Abbottabad, Bajuar, Dir, Mardan and other sub-chambers also attended the meeting.

SCCI chief voiced concern over issuance of property tax notices to Hayatabad Industrial Estate Peshawar.

He said the rate of property tax in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is higher than Punjab and Sindh, which was unreasonable. Maqsood Pervaiz termed the survey conducted by provincial Excise and Taxation department as inequitable and unrealistic through which exaggerated rates of property tax were imposed.

He urged the officials of the E&T department to take chambers and presidents of bazaars and shopping markets into confidence before launching of any crackdown.

Zafar Ali Shah, Secretary Excise and Taxation department agreed with reservations of SCCI chief and assured the business community will not harass during collection of property and professional taxes.

He informed that GIS-based survey will be launched in Abbottabad, Nowshera and Mardan, while an independent survey will also soon be conducted in Peshawar.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019