Islamabad: Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan on Wednesday requested the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to introduce tax relief measures for small traders operating in the capital city, a news source reported.
He expressed his views on the matter during a meeting with a delegation of the Traders Welfare Association. He stated that the coronavirus-induced lockdown had slowed down economic activity; adding that businesses were yet to recover from their financial decline.
He further said that the local business community retained its employees during the lockdown period and paid wages ‘out of its own pocket which aggravated its problems’. He sought additional relief packages for traders and requested the taxation agency to simplify tax forms, accept last year’s tax returns, and review the Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs) issued in the wake of the construction package announcement.
Moreover, he said that business outlets had been strictly following all government-sanctioned standard operating procedures (SOPs), but many customers were seen to show laxity which resulted in action against shopkeepers.
