NWFP traders reject VAT: The News

By Riaz Khan Daudzai

PESHAWAR: The trade and business community of NWFP on Saturday rejected the Value Added Tax ordinance and set a 15-day deadline for the federal government to implement the relief package announced by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani for the militancy hit areas in the province.

Addressing a news conference the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) president and the representatives of the small traders spurned the revised the package of the prime minister.

SCCI president Riaz Arshad said that the SROs issued on March 10 regarding the incentives have added to the confusion surrounding the prime minister package.

He said that under the original package there was 100 per cent exemption from Federal Excise Duty in the most-affected areas whereas under the SROs the same has been exempted by 50 percent in district of Charsadda, Peshawar, DI Khan, Batagram, Lakki Marwat, Swabi and Mardan which remained most-affected areas. He said that package had also exempted of Sales Tax on electricity bills the manufacturing units, but the relief was taken back in the SRO issued on March 10. He said that even today the small traders received the power bills carrying all kinds of taxes exempted in the package.

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