Thread and fabric makers are protesting indefinitely in Faisalabad against new taxes. PHOTO: ARIF SOOMRO/EXPRESS
FAISALABAD:
The yarn market of Faisalabad, considered the biggest in Asia, closed for an indefinite period in solidarity with owners of power looms and sizing units to protest against imposition of new taxes and levies after issuance of SRO 98 and SRO 154.
Thousands of workers as well as owners of sizing units and power looms held a protest rally and marched to Katchery Bazaar Chowk where they staged a sit-in and block movement of vehicles at the busiest intersection of the city, causing a great deal of difficulties for commuters and motorists.
They chanted slogans against the Federal Board of Revenue and the government and vowed to continue the protest until the withdrawal of disputed SROs.
Speakers at the rally said sizing and power loom sectors had been protesting against SRO 98 and SRO 154 for the last one week, but the government did not pay any heed to this burning issue.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 13th, 2013.
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Devolution of Taxation to Provinces, Local Government and Increase Local Taxation. Property Tax should pay for Schools, roads, security, and municipalty. Center or Islamabad should have less share in Pakistan Taxation. Existing Tax Return Filers Do Not Directly Benefit from Filing Income Tax Return. There is complete Inequity between Return Tax Filers and Non Tax Filers. Pakistan Taxation Compliance Very Difficult and Doing Business as well as General Manufacturing Most Difficult. Infrastucture Collapsing Due to Negligence and Not Enough Money. Devolve Taxation Now to Provinces and Let Province Pay Tax Collection To Center.
No one wants to pay taxes in Pakistan. Be it traders, textile owners, sugar barons, land lords etc etc. All of the above are just plain "rent seekers". I dont know how are we going to finance new roads, investment in education and health sector when no one wants to contribute to the national kitty.
@ Javed Khan: totally agree with you.Someone should hold FBR accountable for it's wrong policies
FBR has destroyed textile industry through these frequent SROs. Someone should take action against FBR
FBR through it's un-thought of policies and SROs has totally ruined the business in last few weeks. On one hand FBR is bent upon destroying existing tax paying business on the other hand it is giving duty amnesty to non-duty paid cars.May we ask why and how did these cars enter Pakistan ports? Incompetence of FBR. FBR top team needs to be changed
The motive of this government is to loot Pakistan. Nothing else. Instead of increasing the number of taxpayers they are just increasing the taxes so that the people who are already paying taxes would pay more tax. This will increase the cost of production and the exports of textile products will go down.