KARACHI: Businessmen on Saturday termed the notices of sales tax
on services issued by the Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) as unlawful, questioning
the board's authority over the move.
Representatives
of sectors, including private security firms, travel agents and indenters
raised their concerns at a meeting with the chairman SRB Khalid Mehmood at the
Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).
SRB
chief said the issue between the revenue board and stakeholders would be soon
resolved and the SRB would hold meetings separately with representatives of
each sector from next week onwards.
“The
SRB is a business-friendly authority and will settle this matter on priority
basis.
“There
are some issues of few sectors which need attention,” Mehmood added.
Siraj
Kassam Teli, chairman of Businessmen Group (BMG) said the major issue is
interpretation of sales tax by the two sides.
“Due
to this conflict in interpretation, some sectors are facing double taxation
from provincial as well as the federal revenue authority,” he said. Industry
sources said some companies also approached the Sindh High Court against the
notices issued by the Sindh Revenue Board.
The
sources added that despite ongoing negotiations on the instructions of Sindh
Chief Minister, the Sindh Revenue Board issued recovery notices to the
sectors.
Recently,
the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry sent a letter to Sindh chief
minister regarding the notices issued to indenters by the SRB.
The
chamber said it is unfair to demand such an irrational tax from indenters who
have been earning foreign exchange.
Instead
of appreciating their efforts, the government decided to penalise them by
imposing such an 'illogical and groundless' tax.
The
KCCI urged the chief minister to issue directives to the Sindh Revenue
Board to stop issuing notices until the issue is resolved.
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