Curbing smuggling : FBR asked to strengthen customs control

KARACHI:

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) should strengthen customs control to tackle smuggling under the garb of Afghan transit trade which inflicts annual revenue loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer, said members of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

The representatives of KCCI were speaking during a presentation to FBR Chairman Salman Siddique at the KCCI office on Friday.

“Everybody knows that none of us can do illegal trade with Afghanistan. Those who are involved in smuggling are powerful and they are openly challenging the writ of the state,” an industrialist said.

The industrialists urged the government to tax agriculture income, as agriculturists were only paying land taxes. The government should tax agriculture income and services to broaden the tax net instead of burdening existing taxpayers, they said.

They also were of the view that the government should take back the recent three ordinances regarding sales tax and flood surcharge.

FBR Chairman Salman Siddique, after the KCCI presentation, refused to talk to the media and said that he would only discuss the ordinances privately with the industrialists.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2011.