Traders Demand Complete Abolishment Of 'fixed Tax' In Power Bills

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Aug, 2022 ) :business community termed the government's decision to give relief in tax for shopkeepers who consume less than 150 units of electricity per month as 'insufficient' and asked to completely abolish the 'fixed tax' immediately.

Chairing a joint meeting of traders and industrialists here on Tuesday, the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) president Hasnain Khurshid Ahmad said "Relief in tax for shopkeepers who consume less than 150 units of electricity per month is like a drop in ocean." Therefore, he said"The collection of fixed tax through power bills is unacceptable, which should be completely abolished immediately." Khurshid further stated that traders have already paid 'sales tax', so it would be considered a double taxation, saying that the chamber rejects collection of this levy through power bills.

The meeting was attended by the chamber's senior vice president Imran Khan Mohmand, vice president Javed Akhtar, FPCCI former president Ghazanfar Bilour, Industrialist Associaiton Peshawar (IAP) president Malik Imran Ishaq, Anjuman e Tajaran Peshawar chairman Shaukat Ali Khan, Anjuman Tajaraan Peshawar president Haji Muhammad Afzal, trader leader Inayat Khan and others.

Without differentiating between small and large-scale businesses, and godowns, the forced system of 'fixed' sale tax on commercial power meters was tantamount to economic-collapse of traders' community, Khurshid said.

Participants of the meeting said "They have already paid 'sales tax' and again collection of 'fixed tax' from Rs3,000 to Rs 20,000 through power bills is completely unjustifiable and unfair." The SCCI's chief said "The frequent increase in power tariffs and collection of Fuel price Adjustment (FPA) in power bills is strongly condemnable and unacceptable." The traders' leader asked the government to take back its decision to collect additional taxes on power bills in the name of FPA and others.

He added traders and poor people couldn't afford any new tax, subsequent increase in inflation.