SCCI Chief Hails FBR Initiatives For 'Ease Of Doing Business'

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 31st Jul, 2021 ) :President, Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sherbaz Bilour has appreciated the Federal board of Revenue (FBR) for giving assurance to timely resolve issues of small traders and provision of relief.

He also lauded the initiatives taken by FBR under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan for Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in the country.

This he stated during a meeting with FBR Chairman Asim Ahmad at headquarter in Islamabad, according to a press release issued here on Saturday.

Chairman, SCCI Inland Revenue Committee and former president Zahidullah Shinwari, former president Adeel Rauf, WCCI president Rabail Riaz and Qurtul Ain also accompanied the chamber president during the meeting.

On the occasion, member FBR Tax Policy, Dr Syed Jadoon and Member exports and other high officials were also present.

During the meeting, matters pertaining to monitoring of notices sent to industries and restaurants by FBR, speedy disposal and relief from cases pending at the legal forums were discussed.

It was also discussed that fixed evaluation of raw materials, issuance of pending refunds cases, review of Alternate Dispute Resolution Committee mechanism (ADRC), integration of various business sectors in Tier I and lack of SOPs regarding tax facilitation for women entrepreneurs in chamber of commerce and industry.

FBR chairman, Asim Ahmad during the meeting directed the formation of a committee, consisting of members from the Sarhad chamber and Customs, meant to resolve valuation issue at Torkham amicably and said a notification will be issued very soon in this regard.

Sherbaz Bilour appreciated FBR's initiatives for facilitating EoDB for the business community particularly with specific reference to an automated environment for issuance of refunds directly into a taxpayer's account.

Participants of the meeting apprised the FBR chairman Asim Ahmad regarding traders issues and gave concrete proposals for their amicable redressal. They emphasized that speedily clearing of refunds cases, decision of pending cases in legal forums, along with inclusion of small traders in Tier I and giving them relief.

The Chairman FBR appreciated the feedback and issued on spot instructions to both customs and IR officers to review the standard operating procedures and administratively resolve the issues immediately.

Asim Ahmad agreed with proposals of the SCCI delegation and issued necessary instructions to officials concerned for immediate resolution of issues and assured that income and sale tax refunds would be cleared on a fast-track basis.

Similarly, the FBR chairman assured that after a decision in favour of taxpayers, the verdict would not be challenged in any higher courts. A notification would be issued in this regard very shortly, he promised.

During the meeting, the issue of Point of Sale (PoS) came under discussion, it was decided that a meeting would be arranged with the Retail Director General (DG) to sort out a solution of the issue, which could be acceptable.

The Chairman FBR directed the appointment of a female at Facilitation Desk in Regional Tax Office (RTO) to facilitate women entrepreneurs.

On the occasion, the FBR chairman was invited to visit the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which he accepted.