Resolution pays rich tribute to Pakistan Armed forces over the success of operation ‘Bunyan-al-Marsoos’
PESHAWAR
Executive Committee of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry unanimously adopted a resolution, calling for immediate withdrawal of SRO-907 (1)12025, meant for e-invoicing and integration of sales transactions to all categories of taxpayers (corporate and non-corporate).
The EC committee also raised serious concern over the promulgation of the Tax Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, terming it a direct violation of business autonomy and a blow to investor confidence.
Another resolution unanimously passed in the meeting, paying rich tribute to the Pakistan Armed force over the success of the Operation ‘Bunyan-Al-Marsoos’.
The meeting was held under chairmanship of the SCCI president Fazal Moqeem Khan here at the chamber house on Thursday.
The chamber senior vice president Abdul Jalil Jan, vice president Shehryar Khan, executive members Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, Aftab Iqbal, Saifullah Khan, Abbas Fuad Azeem, Shamsul Rahim, Nadeem Rauf, Adnan Nasir, Ishfaq Ahmad, Mujeebur Rehamn, Secretary General SCCI Muqtasid Ahsan, along with Businessmen forum leader and former FPCCI president Ghazanfar Bilour, FPCCI regional chairman KP and former president Haji Muhammad Afzal, former presidents Malik Niaz Ahmad, Zulfiqar Ali Khan, Faiz Muhammad Faizi, former vice presidents Shuja Muhammad, Haris Mufti, and Monawar Khurshid, Hasnain Sheraz, Fazal e Wahid, Faiz Rasool, Ishtiaq Muhammad, Rashid Iqbal, Aqeel Kayani participated in the meeting as observer.
Participants described the recent amendments made through Presidential Ordinance to the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 as dangerous for the business community.
The meeting was informed that the extraordinary powers granted to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) through this ordinance threaten private business autonomy, civil liberties, and the stability of the economy.
The forum expressed grave concern over the newly added Section 3A in the Income Tax Ordinance, which allows immediate tax recovery based on a High Court or Supreme Court decision, bypassing the due legal process.
Similarly, the meeting informed Clause 6A added to Section 140 empowers the FBR to freeze a taxpayer’s bank account and withdraw funds without any prior notice or legal proceedings, which he declared unacceptable.
The newly inserted Section 175C authorizes the FBR to appoint its officer in any business premises to monitor production, services, and stock—an act considered a direct breach of business confidentiality and a blatant intrusion into private enterprise, the meeting said.
Granting powers of checking and confiscation to other departments could undermine the constitutional jurisdiction of central authorities, it added.
Participants emphasized that enforcing such an ordinance under Article 89 of the Constitution without parliamentary approval goes against democratic norms.
They urged the government to immediately review the ordinance and move forward with legislation only after taking all stakeholders into confidence.
The forum expressed serious concern over delay in clearance of commercial containers at Azakhel Dryport, faceless custom assessment, imposition of two percent provincial cess on export from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, barring entry of private vehicles of Custom clearing agents in Peshawar dryport on pretext of security concerns, called for immediate steps to address all aforementioned issues, hampering trade and export and adding to difficulties of business community and revenue loss for the national exchequer.
