Reservations on withholding tax to be addressed through talks, says CM

All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajran and Anjuman-i-Tajran delegations meet Shahbaz

LAHORE: Businessmen’s reservations with regard to withholding tax on banking transactions will be addressed through talks, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Monday.

He was talking to delegations of traders led by All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajran president Khalid Pervaiz and Anjuman-i-Tajran chairman Khawaja Shafiq.

The problems being faced by traders’ community, especially the tax imposed on bank transactions, came under discussion at the meeting.

There was agreement on resolving the issue through negotiation. It was decided that representative delegations of traders will soon hold negotiations with the Federal Ministry of Finance for resolving the issue amicably.

“A meeting will be arranged between traders’ leaders and Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for resolving this issue in a positive manner. Traders have an important role in national progress and development. The government has a responsibility to resolve their problems,” he said.

The chief minister said that there was a need for collective efforts for the progress and development of the country. “It is my desire that the genuine grievances of the traders’ community are redressed.

Traders are the backbone of the national economy. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government will continue to resolve their problems on a priority basis,” he said.

The All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajran delegation thanked the chief minister for taking personal interest in resolving the issue.

Pervaiz said that the chief minister had listened to them sympathetically. He expressed confidence in the leadership of the CM and assured him of their full support.

National Assembly Members Pervaiz Malik and Waheed Alam Khan were also present. All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajran general secretary Abdul Razzaq Babbar, Lahore president Mujahid Maqsood Butt, Saeed Mughal, Ijaz Butt, Shahid Maqsood Butt and Ayub Butt were also present.

Leaders of Anjuam-i-Tajran’s Naeem Mir group also expressed confidence in the CM, stating that they were hopeful that he would play a role in resolving their problems.

The delegation included Mehboob Sirki, Ashraf Bhatti and Tariq Feroz. PML-N Traders’ Wing president Punjab Muhammad Ali Mian, Lahore president Nasir Saeed, Lahore general secretary Shahid Nazir and vice chairman Chaudhry Amir Siddique were also present.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 6^th, 2015.