DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The trader community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa condemned the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for its current policies, stating that they were economically harming traders and forcing them to take to the streets.
The spokesperson for the Organization of Traders Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shahzad Ahmed Siddiqui, along with a delegation of trader leaders expressed these views during a meeting with the President of All Pakistan Traders Association, Ajmal Baloch in Peshawar.
The representatives of the trade bodies discussed the mandatory installation of point-of-sale (POS) devices by the FBR, the issuance of notices to traders, and the strategy for nationwide protests against these policies.
Siddiqui and other traders argued that instead of burdening the existing taxpaying community, the FBR should focus on expanding the tax base and target larger businesses or ‘big fish’.
The traders voiced their frustration with the government’s approach, asserting that these policies were putting them under immense pressure and directly affecting business operations and the broader economy.
The meeting also highlighted ongoing issues faced by traders in ex-FATA and PATA, where they are dealing with frequent fines imposed by the district administration and various government departments.
Additionally, the closure of trade routes between Pakistan and Afghanistan was a major point of concern, with the traders noting that the suspension of these routes has caused a significant halt in trade worth billions of rupees, further exacerbating the difficulties faced by the business community.
Ajmal Baloch, President of the All Pakistan Traders Association, shared the Federation of Chambers’ efforts to address these issues at the national level. He announced that a nationwide shutter-down strike and protest would be organized to demand a change in the FBR’s approach. The exact date for the protests will be decided after consultations with traders’ leadership from all provinces. Baloch also revealed plans to visit Peshawar soon to discuss these matters further.
Baloch expressed deep concern over the government’s treatment of the business community, calling it counterproductive to the economy. “The government is pushing a vital sector of the economy, the backbone of the nation, into protests,” Baloch stated.
He criticized the government for targeting existing taxpayers rather than expanding the tax net, claiming that these actions were effectively destroying business activity in the country.
