APAT General Secretary Naeem Mir said here Sunday that tax department should also consult the real stakeholders before formulating national tax policy.

"The EBR, apart from developing coordination with provincial tax authorities, also needs to improve liaison with trade bodies by setting up joint action committees at regional level to remove existing irritants and work out a mechanism to increase the revenue," he added.

He assured that traders would support the tax department awareness drive to pay tax in national interest, suggesting the FBR to launch a campaign with the help of trade bodies throughout the country to convince retailers as well as wholesalers to consider paying tax as a national obligation.

During last decade, dozens of new plazas have emerged in provincial capital where thousands of people are running their businesses without paying any tax, he said and added the FBR should take measures to bring the untaxed sectors and black economy into the tax net.

The APAT, he said, understood that a quantum jump in Tax-to-GDP ratio was in dire need but also believed that this objective could only be achieved through facilitation of existing businesses. He said, FBR and the traders wanted and supported documentation of the economy by bringing hospitals, clinics, restaurants, bakeries, wedding lawns, travel agents etc into the tax net.

Neem Mir asked those traders having no National Tax Number must get their NTN and pay tax on their earnings. He said FBR should avoid issuing new tax policies without the consultation of the business community for being the main stakeholders, as it would have devastating effect on the businesses in Pakistan.