He said that he would pursue all concerned quarters for the Coordination Committee on Customs, in this regard. Furthermore, he said that tax authorities in the world always facilitated taxpayers through business-friendly policies; however, the situation was opposite in Pakistan where taxmen were creating hurdles for trade for their undue gains.
Commenting on CPEC project, Ghafoor Haideri said that relevant authorities should tap the benefits of CPEC instead of treating it as transit route for trade from China to Central Asia. He said that the Constitution of Pakistan had determined the jurisdictions of all pillars of the state but the country remained unable to implement the Constitution in true spirit since it was promulgated in 1973 and led to present issues, which would not have been surfaced, had the Constitution been implemented, properly.
He urged all the powerful quarters to make the system strong by playing their due role in individual capacity. He said that confidence of overseas Pakistanis was shaken and they were reluctant to send remittances as they were of the view that instead of utilizing their money for the country's development, politicians made huge foreign investments and established offshore companies.
Earlier, chairman Standing Committee on customs agents, Qamar Alam, said that FBR treated traders as tax evaders in order to get undue benefits. He also termed private terminals as white elephant, saying that terminals and customs officers were using blackmailing tactics to get bribed by the traders and this malpractice encouraged smuggling.
"Tax authorities should reduce the tax rate at the level where traders could compete in the markets with smuggled goods, which will minimize the influence of smuggling mafia in the markets," he proposed. Arshad Jamal urged the Deputy Chairman Senate to constitute a Coordination Committee comprising the representatives from FBR, customs agents and customs committees and APCAA to resolve the pending issues.
In his presentation, he said that we were the only taxpayers in the world, who were forced to grease the palms of the customs officers for paying duty and taxes. "The officials from the World Bank and Australian tax officials had also expressed reservations over the said situation in Pakistan," he said and proposed to shift Afghan Transit Cargo to Gwadar port to minimize the transportation cost of the importers, which would also help easing the port and the city's traffic, as well.
He said that around 400 scrap containers were stuck at different ports but the customs department did not pay heed for its disposal, causing not only excessive financial burden in terms of demurrages an detention on trade but also create port congestion.
Later, President FPCCI Zubair Tufail said that the CPEC would first give benefits to Balochistan and then the whole country. He also thanked Deputy Chairman Senate Abdul Ghafoor Haideri over his speech and assurance for support.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017