Report: ANI
ISLAMABAD: President All Pakistan Anjuman Tajran and Traders Action Committee Islamabad Ajmal Baloch, Secretary Traders Action Committee Islamabad Khalid Chaudhry, along with other leading representatives of the business community, urged traders to take full advantage of the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) Asan Tax Scheme and submit their tax returns on time.
Traders’ representatives, including Raja Zulfiqar, Kamran Kakakhel, Shahzad Abbasi, Ahmed Khan, Syed Altaf Hussain Shah, Shehzad Abbasi, Chaudhry Waheed Cheema, Raja Zahid Dhaniyal, Chaudhry Riaz Ali, Ajab Khan and Akhtar Abbasi, said the scheme had been introduced in consultation with the business community to make the tax system simple, transparent and workable, particularly for small traders.
They said traders would be able to prepare and submit tax returns in Urdu through the Asan mobile application. The simplified procedure would enable even less-educated traders to enter their income details and pay due taxes without assistance from tax consultants or FBR officials.
Kamran Kakakhel and Raja Zulfiqar said the proposed scheme would significantly reduce difficulties faced by small traders, while Shahzad Abbasi and Ahmed Khan said the simplified system could protect traders from corruption, unnecessary interference and complications related to POS systems.
Ajmal Baloch appealed to the business community to fully utilise the Asan Tax Scheme, register themselves, file returns on time and fulfil their legal obligations.
Khalid Chaudhry said an important meeting of trade representatives would be held at the FBR today, Monday, at 3:00 pm, where detailed discussions would be held on the scheme, use of the mobile application, return filing procedure and possible difficulties faced by traders.
He urged representatives of all markets and commercial centres of Islamabad to attend the meeting and present their concerns and practical suggestions before FBR officials.
The traders’ leaders called for a permanent mechanism of consultation between the FBR and business organisations, saying joint committees should be formed at the federal and district levels to resolve complaints and technical issues promptly.
They said the business community was willing to pay taxes, but the government and FBR should ensure that the tax system remained simple, fair and free from harassment. Effective implementation of the Asan Tax Scheme, they added, would increase trust between the government and business community, encourage voluntary tax compliance and contribute positively to the national economy.
