Fruit, vegetable exporters get threatening letters

Say tax complaints are based on concocted information

KARACHI: The All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) has urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to take notice of the threatening letters being sent to fruit exporters.

In a letter to the FBR chairman on Wednesday, PFVA Secretary General Mohammad Ilyas Khan requested him to direct the Post Clearance Audit Lahore to stop the investigation audit, which was based on anonymous complaints.



Khan also asked the FBR chairman to give the association time to explain its position on the ongoing investigations against bona fide exporters. The letter claims that complaints were based on concocted information and hence there was no reason to initiate investigation on such baseless charges.

“An anonymous person is trying to trap various government authorities by using the fake letter head of different associations just to blackmail PFVA exporters,” it added. The association also quoted various regulations to prove its point that investigations should be stopped immediately.

It said that the facility of Duty and Tax Remission for Export (DTRE) was extended to the bona fide exporters strictly in compliance with the criteria mentioned in the DTRE Rules 2001, secured against suspended duties and taxes through an indemnity bond along with a post-dated cheque.



The DTRE claims of exporters are audited by the respective collectorate of customs on a regular basis and if any irregularity or violation is pointed out, then the amount is deposited accordingly against the same.

The Federal Tax Ombudsman’s rule is very much clear, stating that “anonymous or pseudonymous complaints” cannot be filed.

The Federal Investigation Agency (Inquiries and Investigations) Rules 2002 are also very clear that “no action shall be taken on any anonymous or pseudonymous complaint”, according to the letter.

Consumer laws in Pakistan also do not permit the acceptance of anonymous or pseudonymous complaints.

PFVA has more than 170 members across the country. They play a crucial role in fruit and vegetable exports. In fiscal year 2015-16, Pakistan exported $641 million worth of fruits and vegetables.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2017.

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