MULTAN:Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) Chairman Sohail Haral on Monday expressed concern over the policies, saying the business community was under growing pressure, and called for
relief on taxes, power tariffs and enforcement methods. Addressing a press conference here, he said the manufacturing sector did not appear to figure prominently in the government’s priorities, even though cotton formed its largest segment. “The crop that earns the country the most foreign exchange and provides the most jobs is at risk of being ruined,” he said.
Haral said the industry was facing continued heavy taxation and high electricity bills. He said several levies imposed on the sector were not charged anywhere else in the world, and urged the government to review and withdraw them at the earliest.
He also pointed out that the sector operated largely on credit, which meant sales tax could be paid only after payments were received from buyers. “We can pay sales tax only after selling our goods. How can we pay it before that?” he asked.
He clarified that the association did not support tax evaders and would not stand with those who failed to pay. However, he said, those who paid taxes regularly should not be harassed.
Haral urged the government to review its tax regime and enforcement methods, cautioning that continued pressure could affect a sector vital to the national economy.