SCCI for making FTO laws, rules business-friendly

Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has demanded of the government to make the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) laws and rules businessfriendly.

It also called for amending them to provide speedily justice to taxpayers.

The demand was made by the SCCI President Engineer Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz during a meeting with provincial Advisers of Federal Tax Ombudsman, Abdul Wadud and Tariq Ahad Nawaz at the Chamber House on Thursday.

Shahid Khan, the chamber Senior Vice President, members of executive committee Ihsanullah, Shamsur Rahim, Abidullah Khan Yousafzai, Sadar Gul, Muhammad Asif, Rashid Iqbal Siddiuqui, Fazle Wahid, officials of the FTO regional office, members of business community were also present in the meeting.

Wadud and Tariq Ahad while speaking on the occasion urged the business community to approach his office for the resolution of complaints about income tax, sales tax, customs and federal excise duty.

They said the FTO would continue to play its important and effective role against the discriminatory attitude and unjust decisions with taxpayers.

Tariq Ahad said FTO had issued directives to the Federal Board of Revenue to make simple tax returns and issue separate forms of tax turns for different sectors. He said he won't disappoint the business community.

Mr Wadud assured the business community that the FTO will continue its effective role against decisions on basis of injustice and discrimination against taxpayers. He asked the taxpayers to send their complaints on plain paper along with CNICs copy to FTO, on which instant action will be taken.

Earlier, Maqsood Pervaiz called for close liaison between FTO and SCCI saying terrorism-hit business of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was confronted with host of challenges and difficulties and urged the FTO to give special importance to the community of this region and to play its effective role in issues relating to tax.

He said the FTO laws and rules should be made further business-friendly and should be reformed by fulfilling all requirements of justice.

Maqsood Pervaiz termed the FTO as a real institute, which is taking action on complaints of taxpayers and an effective forum for provision of justice to them. He urged the FTO to give maximum importance to the terrorism-affected business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and should play effective role in resolution of issues, relating taxes.