SCCI demands early payments of remaining refunds of Sales Tax to KP’s Printers and Publishers

PESHAWAR
Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged the provincial government to ensure early remaining refunds payment of sale taxes to Printers and Publishers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to revive and boost the printing industry in the province.
Junaid Altaf, President of the chamber while speaking at a meeting of SCCI’s Standing Committee on Textbook Board stated that the printing industry had a vital role in economic development and generating employment so that the government should resolve their issues on priority basis.
The SCCI chief said that more than 3,300 printing presses, operating across KP, provided employment to nearly 40,000 workers and called for recognition of their contribution and formalization of the policies.
Apart from the Senior Vice President of the chamber Muhammad Nadeem, members of the executive committee Sajjad Zaheer, Aftab Iqbal, Saifullah Khan and Ishfaq Ahmed, and Secretary General SCCI’s Muqtasid Ahsan, Senior Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee on Textbook Board Iqtedar Ali Akhunzada, and Shakeel Qureshi, Niaz Ahmad, Azam Arian, Attaur Rehman, Tariq Naveed, Shaukat Ali, Amjad Nizam, Latif Hussain, Bashir Ahmad, Nuashad Ahmad, Haji Akhtar, Syed Anees Kazmi, Shamsher Ali Akhunzada, Niaz Hussain, Ahmad Shehryar and Aqeel Kayani and Muhammad Arshad Siddiqui and a large number of printers and publishers were present during the meeting.
Printers and Publishers raised serious concerns over delay in release of remaining refunds payment of Sale Tax, stating that KP printing industry on verge of destruction owing to government’s unilateral and unfavorable policies, urging the SCCI to intervene to resolve the issues associated with this crucial industry, by effectively taking up with relevant authorities.
The printers and publishers also expressed dismay over open tender policy, and prioritizing other provinces over the KP in the policy and called for immediate review for the best interest of the local printing industry.
The meeting was informed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Textbook Board made a commitment to release entire refunds payment of Sales Tax, but only a small amount had so far been released, warning to take stringent measures, if the government didn’t ensure early payments.
Sajjad Zaheer, an executive member of the chamber stressed the need for forceful push for changes in the existing government’s policy rather than opting for a path of agitation or harsh steps.
He emphasized the need for unity and close coordination to jointly address the issues being faced by printers and publishers in the province. President Junaid Altaf was of the view that SCCI believes in resolution of traders’ issues through table talks.
He assured the printers and publishers to effectively take up the issues with government relevant departments at provincial and federal level.
The SCCI chief informed that a FBR has already notified a committee, besides, FTO also constituted committees at regional and headquarter level, in which SCCI was given representation.
He hoped the both committees would play an important role in issues, which were being faced by the printers and publishers of the province.
Earlier, the printers and publishers reposed their full trust on the leadership of the Businessman Forum, and they announced full support to the forum in the upcoming Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Election