Anjum Nisar says country\u2019s businessmen stood united against unjust taxation; demands reversal of oppressive clauses
\n ISLAMABAD
\nThe Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry\u2019s Businessmen Panel (BMP) has strongly condemned the continuation of controversial fiscal amendments introduced under the Finance Act 2025, asserting that Saturday\u2019s successful shutter-down across Punjab and the rest of the country signals a deep rupture in the government\u2019s contract with the business community.
\nAddressing the wave of frustration engulfing markets from Lahore to Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot and beyond, BMP Chairman Mian Anjum Nisar noted that this collective shutdown was not a routine protest\u2014it was a definitive vote of no-confidence in the state\u2019s current economic direction.
\nTraders, industrialists, wholesalers and retailers across Pakistan voluntarily ceased operations to register their dismay at the coercive new powers granted to tax officials under the revised law.
\nMian Anjum Nisar stated that Sections 37A and 37B of the Income Tax Ordinance\u2014empowering tax officers with arrest and prosecution authority\u2014violate the constitutional guarantees of fair treatment and due process.
\nHe said these clauses are more reflective of a police state than a participatory economy and have triggered panic throughout formal businesses already struggling with rising costs and limited liquidity.
\n\u201cThese measures were neither debated transparently nor tested through pilot phases. The sudden imposition of unchecked arrest powers, aggressive cash handling limits, and unrealistic digital compliance rules has pushed the entire business landscape into uncertainty,\u201d Nisar warned.
\n\u201cYou cannot reform an economy by intimidating its engine. What the government has misjudged is the deep-rooted unity of Pakistan\u2019s trading and industrial community.\u201d
\nHe pointed out that even law-abiding businesses with a clear tax history are now rethinking their operations due to the fear of misuse by the enforcement arms of the Federal Board of Revenue.
\nCoupled with hasty implementation of SRO 350 and SRO 709, which mandate complex electronic invoicing and tracking requirements, the situation has left traders vulnerable to penalties without preparation.
\nAnjum Nisar said the nationwide protest was not confined to any single region or sector. \u201cFrom mega industrial hubs in Lahore to small-town traders in central Punjab, the shutdown was absolute\u2014and peaceful.
\nThis is not political agitation. It is a desperate but constitutional signal from those who have been pushed too far,\u201d he said.
\nBMP stated that instead of expanding the tax base through engagement, the government has opted for punitive actions that are alienating even registered taxpayers.
\n\u201cThis is not how you build trust. If every law-abiding businessperson starts to feel like a criminal, the tax system collapses under its own contradictions,\u201d Nisar remarked.
\nHe expressed serious concern that the government\u2019s narrative continues to suggest that only a few sectors oppose the reforms. \u201cThis strike disproved that myth. The unity seen across commercial centers in Punjab should be a wake-up call.
\nWe are talking about a total industry halt\u2014a shutdown of production, supply chains, and sales from top to bottom,\u201d he said.
\nWhile acknowledging the establishment of a grievance redressal committee by FPCCI and the Ministry of Finance, BMP criticized the lack of urgency in addressing the issues.
\n\u201cAt this stage, verbal commitments are not enough. The government must issue written notifications immediately reversing or suspending the most dangerous aspects of these laws,\u201d Nisar insisted.
\nThe Businessmen Panel emphasized that the business community has always been in favor of responsible reforms and progressive digitization.
\nHowever, it cannot support a system that is imposed overnight, without education, infrastructure, or practical rollout plans. \u201cPakistan\u2019s economy does not run on apps and directives. It runs on trust, predictability, and dialogue,\u201d he added.
\nHe said BMP had repeatedly presented constructive suggestions, including timelines for documentation, gradual onboarding of digital systems, and protections against harassment.
\n\u201cUnfortunately, the state continues to legislate from a distance, without consulting the very people who will bear the brunt of these policies,\u201d Anjum Nisar lamented.
\nHe warned that if the Finance Act is not amended in the coming days, the economic consequences could extend beyond business closures to investment flight, job losses, and reduced exports.
\n\u201cPakistan\u2019s productive class cannot afford to operate in fear. We will not be spectators to our own collapse,\u201d Nisar said.
\nBMP reiterated its complete support for the constitutional right to protest and expressed pride in how peacefully and effectively the strike was observed across the country.
\n\u201cThe discipline and unity shown on July 20 have restored our belief that business owners can still come together for the nation\u2019s economic future. But that unity must now be respected\u2014not ignored,\u201d the chairman said.
\nThe Businessmen Panel demanded that the government issue official notifications to immediately withdraw Sections 37A and 37B, revise SRO 350 and SRO 709 with stakeholder input, and suspend punitive cash transaction rules until a proper mechanism is agreed upon.
\n\u201cWe are not seeking confrontation. We are demanding correction,\u201d Mian Anjum Nisar said. \u201cIf the government fails to act now, the business community will be forced to reconsider how\u2014and whether\u2014it continues to operate under such conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Anjum Nisar says country\u2019s businessmen stood united against unjust taxation; demands reversal of oppressive clauses ISLAMABAD The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry\u2019s Businessmen Panel (BMP) has strongly condemned the continuation of controversial fiscal amendments introduced under the Finance Act 2025, asserting that Saturday\u2019s successful shutter-down across Punjab and the rest of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":329996,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-491558","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\n