FAZAL HAQ
MARDAN: Regional Director Excise, Taxation and Anti-Narcotics Control Mardan Muhammad Sufyan Khan Haqani, Excise and Taxation Officer Fawad Iqbal, Sub-Inspector Noor Rahman visited Mardan Chamber on the special invitation of the Provincial General Secretary of Central Organization of Traders and Group Leader Mardan Chamber Zahir Shah. Senior Vice President Nouman Faqir, Vice President Haji Waheed Gul, Chairman Ghulam Sarwar Saraf, Vice Chairman Muhammad Pervaiz Babu, Senior Vice Presidents Haji Awais Khan, Malik Najibullah, Shah Gee, Aftab Mohmand, Saeed Khan, Wajid Khan, Tahir Hoti, Abdul Jabbar, Shamsher Khan, Bahadar Sher Afridi, Saleem Khan, Munir Khan, President of Women Chamber Aqeela Sumbal, members of the Executive Committee, presidents and general secretaries of different markets of Mardan district participated in large numbers. In the meeting, the problems of business community including property tax and professional tax etc. were discussed in detail. Provincial General Secretary Zahir Shah informed the Regional Director about the problems faced by the traders, including undue harassment by the Excise Office and heavy taxes, and deliberated on making a solid strategy to solve the problems. He appreciated the decision of the Excise Department to make the registration of vehicles from other provinces tax-free and on easy terms in this province. In addition, the property tax that is applied to the owner, closing the tenant’s business is unfair and is like weakening the country’s economy. In addition, some businesses that are closed and the same property is used for other businesses should cooperate with them so that the business can be promoted. Regional Director of Excise, Taxation and Anti-Narcotics Control Mardan Muhammad Sufyan Khan Haqani said that the main purpose of our meeting is to inform about various issues including property tax, professional tax and vehicle registration and said that our first priority is to provide support and awareness to business community. He further said that the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa government has taken various steps to simplify the vehicle registration process which the business community and general public can benefit from without any hindrance. He further said that if the businessmen have any problems regarding property tax or professional tax, the doors of our office are open all the time, besides the tax has been reduced from 20% to 10%. Apart from this, the participants presented various suggestions and issues, including reducing the unnecessary burden of property tax on shopkeepers, revising the imposition of professional tax and simplifying the vehicle registration process. Zahir Shah said that the establishment of an arbitration committee is the need of the hour to resolve the issues effectively, which will play a role in resolving the issues between the traders and the department, for which the Regional Director of Excise, Taxation and Anti-Narcotics Control Mardan expressed his willingness, for which Group Leader Zahir Shah thanked him.
