The Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) has organised a seminar as a part of its Tax Day to create awareness among the traders to pay their taxes regularly at Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI). Addressing the audience, PRA Additional Commissioner Saadia Kamal said that payment of taxes was the prime responsibility of the people and in this regard, an awareness campaign had been launched to motivate the masses to pay taxes properly.

She said that Punjab Revenue Authority was collecting taxes on more than 50 services after 18th amendment while the tax had been decreased over 11 services from 16 percent to 5 percent after consulting the stakeholders.

PRA will provide maximum facility and assistance to business community with respect to tax collection and their concerns and queries will be addressed on priority basis, she added. President RCCI Zahid Latif Khan, addressing the seminar said that traders are not against the taxes, however, harassment should be stopped in the name of tax collections, registration of business centers and multiple audits and misuse of discretionary powers of inland revenue officers.

He suggested that incentives should be introduced for broadening the tax base and tax rather squeezing the existing tax payers. The anomalies in the income tax ordinance should be removed and overlapping of tax authorities with respect to filings and registration should be rationalized, he added.

Group leaders, Suhail Altaf, SM Naseem, Senior Vice President Nasir Mirza, Vice President Khalid Farooq Qazi, former presidents, members of the executive committee, representatives from trade associations and PRA, among others, also attended the seminar.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2018