PESHAWAR
In order to address taxpayers’ grievances and problems, Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Regional Tax Office (RTO) Peshawar, Federal Board of Revenue decided to reactivate the joint advisory committee.
The decision came during a joint meeting of SCCI Standing Committees on Income Tax and IRS held at the chamber house.
According to details, the joint advisory committee will form a mechanism to address the taxpayers’ grievances and problems and provide facilitation at every level.
The chamber president Fazal Moqeem Khan especially participated in the meeting.
SCCI standing Committee on Income Tax chairman and former president Haji Muhammad Asif and Chairman Standing Committee on IRS and former president Zahidullah Shinwari, former presidents Fuad Ishaq, Faiz Muhammad Faizi, former SVP Imran Khan Mohmand, former VP Haris Mufti, members of the executive committee Mujeebur Rehman, Aftab Iqbal, Junaid Altaf, Sajjad Zaheer, Ashfaq Ahmad, Sabir Ahmad Bangash, Sultan Muhammad and Chartered Accountant Muhammad Ahmad Shahid, and Atif Rasheed Khawaja, Mazarul Haq, Fazal Wahid, Ishtiaq Paracha, Faiz Rasool, Qurtul Ain, Khalil Gul Pakhtunyar, Secretary General Muqtasid Ahsan, and members of business community were present on the occasion.
The meeting was also attended by Commissioner Inland Revenue, RTO Peshawar Dr Syed Farooq Jamil, Commissioner Corporate, RTO Peshawar Muhammad Jamal Khan, Additional Commissioner RTO Peshawar Ayesha Dilshad and Deputy Commissioner RTO Peshawar Yasir Nabi.
Fazal Moqeem in his opening remarks stressed the need of strengthening liaison and coordination between SCCI and RTO Peshawar and holding frequent meetings between them to address genuine grievances and problems of taxpayers.
The SCCI chief welcomed the decision to reactivate the Advisory Committee and expressed hope that such initiatives would play a vital role in resolving issues, which are being faced by the taxpayers.
Taxpayers are playing an important role in the economic development of the country, which should be facilitated under a one window operation, Moqeem asserted.
Earlier, the committees’ chairmen Haji Muhammad Asif and Zahidullah Shinwari enlightened the meeting about taxpayers’ grievances and problems and gave suggestions to revive the joint advisory committee between SCCI and RTO Peshawar. They called for friendly relations between taxpayers and tax collectors.
Heads of the committees also briefed the meeting regarding taxpayers’ grievances, mostly relating to tax collecting officers’ unfriendly attitude with taxpayers, harsh/illegal assessment, issuance of unwarranted notices, freezing of bank accounts, discrepancies/flaws and complications in tax laws, and delay in issuance of refund payments and others problems.
Zahidullah Shinwari called for abolishment of section 114, 236-4, SRO-350, Section 8-B, SRO-55 and removal of irritants/discrepancies and flaws to taxpayers at policy level.
Later, the senior RTO officer responding to various queries of the participants said taxpayers are an important and honourable segment, without their support, the economy cannot have flourished.
Dr Farooq Jamil said FBR has always attempted to form policies in consultation with chambers and relevant stakeholders.
He, however, said minor delays and drawbacks in individual cases would be addressed with joint efforts and initiatives.
Senior officer agreed with the proposal of restoration of the joint advisory committee and gave full assurance to whatever issues that had been highlighted during the meeting would be addressed on priority basis.
