Tajir Dost Scheme will not be rolled back: FBR chairman

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial assured traders to accept their ‘legitimate’ demands but said that the Tajir Dost Scheme will not be withdrawn, ARY News reported.

In a virtual meeting with traders from Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala, and Peshawar, Rashid Mahmood Langrial said that all ‘legitimate’ demands of traders will be met. The FBR chairman; however, made it clear that the Tajir Dost Scheme will not be rolled back.

It is pertinent to mention here that the FBR chairman invited the traders of Pakistan for holding talks after they announced to observe country-wide strike on August 28.

Rashid Mahmood Langrial said that Pakistan is among a few countries where retail and whole-sale tax is not levied, adding that it is not possible to tax the weak more than the powerful.

The FBR chairman hinted at revising the market rate and advance income tax mechanisms to avoid unnecessary burden on small shops. He assured the traders to introduce a transparent mechanism for advance income tax and announced that traders would receive good news soon.

During the meeting, the traders presented all proposals to the Chairman FBR.

Meanwhile, the traders announced to hold the nation-wide strike as per the schedule, if the government does not amend the Tajir Dost Scheme.

“Amendments should be made in the Tajir Dost Schemee, or else we will observe a strike on August 28,” Sharjeel Goplani, the trade leader told ARY News.

Read More: Fazlur Rehman voices support for traders strike against Tajir Dost scheme

Earlier in the day, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman  announced his support for the traders’ strike against Tajir Dost scheme.

Fazlur Rehman in his statement said, he fully supports the strike of traders and alleged government is overtaxing people on the demand of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Inflation and ‘unjustified’ taxes have made lives of people miserable, he added.

Fazlur Rehman also said the JUI-F workers will make the peaceful strike of traders successful.