Pkrevenue.com

Day: May 11, 2021

  • KCAA appreciates customs clearance during Eid Holidays

    KCAA appreciates customs clearance during Eid Holidays

    KARACHI: Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA) has appreciated the measures taken by the tax authorities for smooth customs clearance during Eid holidays.

    In a statement issued on Tuesday, the KCAA stated that the customs field formations at Karachi Ports  observed normal working hours on May 8 h 2021 and remained open on 10th and 11th May in order to facilitate the trade and industry. During remaining Eid Holidays, from May 12th to 15 h May, special teams have been constituted to facilitate the import cargo.

    As a result of the measures taken by the customs at the Karachi Ports, clearance of the cargo remained smooth including the food items, pharmaceutical goods and industrial raw materials.

    Trade bodies engaged in clearance of import consignments have appreciated the measures taken by the FBR and Customs and the positive impact of such decisions on economy during Eid holidays and Covid-19.

  • Framing sales tax rules for e-commerce recommended

    Framing sales tax rules for e-commerce recommended

    KARACHI: Tax practitioners have suggested the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for framing rules to bring e-commerce under sales tax laws.

    The tax practitioners under the umbrella of Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA) discussed upcoming budget 2021/2022 and proposed a comprehensive rules for e-commerce under sales tax laws.

    It is discussed that e-commerce of goods as well as services has gained significant momentum particularly in post COVID era. Through digital platforms, large number of vendors/service providers from informal economy can reach customers without setting up proper business structure.

    It is difficult not only for the tax authorities to capture such activity but also for the compliant taxpayers who want to discharge their obligations under the tax laws.

    Therefore, it is suggested that relevant provisions be amended, and detailed rules be framed for ecommerce in line with global best practices core features of which are:

    — Digital platforms, due to their control on the transactions, should be held responsible for collection and payment of sales tax where the vendor is unregistered

    — Small vendors earning revenue below 5 Million be exempted from getting registration under the Act

    — Appropriate provision for exemption from withholding tax should also be introduced

  • Industry perturbs over rampant street crime

    Industry perturbs over rampant street crime

    KARACHI: Business community is worried over rampant incidents of street crimes in the metropolis ahead of Eid holidays, according to a statement issued on Tuesday.

    The statement issued by Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA) informing the Chief Minister of Sindh about the rampant incidents of car snatching and stealing valuables and expensive parts from a vehicle parked out on the side of a road and cash snatching withdrawal from banks.

    Member industrialists have approached the Association conveying their genuine concerns sense of insecurity and said that it seems that police and other law enforcement agencies are busy in lockdown activities due to COVID19 and the general public are deprived of their valuables.

    One incident has taken place at Jamia Masjid Faruq e Azam near Boat Basin where a person has parked the vehicle to offer Asr Namaz when arrived back mirror of the vehicle was broken and valuables were stolen by the thieves.

    The whole theft was wrapped up in 2-3 minutes and even more perturbing is the fact that all this happened in broad daylight. 

    No wonder, they don’t need the cover of darkness. The public is quite afraid and avoids going for even Namaz in the masjid when they are commuting on their vehicles due to increased incidents of stealing and snatching.

    “We have also enquired from the suppliers/shopkeepers of parts market and they informed that the sale of the side mirror, window glass, and back glasses has increased manifold during last 2-3 weeks and stated that they have never seen such a historic sale in their whole life which is alarming,” according to the statement.

    It is the need of the hour to take immediate safety measures and strict action against the criminal elements area otherwise all the efforts in the past which revived peace and security will go in vain.

    Therefore, the gravity of the situation demands your immediate intervention and direct the police department to increase the patrolling and deploy policemen on key points of the areas for the safety and security of the karachiities.

  • Karachi Chamber demands opening of markets amid alarming corona situation

    Karachi Chamber demands opening of markets amid alarming corona situation

    KARACHI: As the country is facing alarming situation of coronavirus in its third-wave and a strict lockdown has been imposed to prevent spread of the pandemic, the business community is demanding to allow opening of market during last two days of the Eid-ul-Fitr.

    In this connection, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has appealed the Sindh government to allow shopkeepers and small traders of Karachi to open up businesses during last two days before Eid from Iftar to Sehri so that they could be able to recover some of the grave losses suffered by them due to stiff curbs imposed to contain further spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

    “Keeping in view the not so bad number of COVID-19 cases in Karachi, we believe that there is some room available to allow shopkeepers in Karachi to open up their businesses at least on Wednesday and Thursday from Iftar to Sehri which would be widely welcomed not only by small traders and shopkeepers but also by a large number of Karachiites who will be able to complete their unfinished shopping for Eid festival,” said Chairman Businessmen Group & Former President KCCI Zubair Motiwala.

    Zubair Motiwala pointed out that associations of commercial markets from all over the city have been constantly exerting pressure on KCCI so that the Chamber, being the premier and actual representative of the entire business community, could play its role by convincing the Sindh government to allow businesses to keep on operating during the last two days while the representatives of these commercial markets associations have also assured to fully comply with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) during these days.

    “Instead of completely shutting down businesses, the government should allow them to keep on running their businesses from Iftar to Sehri during the last two days before Eid which would obviously fragment the public and discourage overcrowding as all the markets in the city will be simultaneously operational, besides ensuring social distancing all the time, which is one of the key elements required for containing further spread of coronavirus”, he added.

    Keeping in view the overall situation and grievances suffered by small traders and shopkeepers, Chairman BMG hoped that the Sindh government, which has always played the lead role in efficiently rescuing the public from time to time, would provide the desperately needed relief to local businesses this time as well by relaxing the curbs for just two days from Iftar to Sehri so that the businesses could be saved from further disaster. “Keeping in view the COVID statistics and forecasts, if the government feels that the loss of precious lives was unlikely then they should provide relief for two days”, he added.

    President KCCI Shariq Vohra stated that it is high time that the Sindh government, being the peoples’ government, has to come forward to minimize the hardships being faced by the distressed citizens and the business community of Karachi by ordering to lift restrictions on opening up businesses on Wednesday and Thursday from Iftar to Sehri. “Due to harsh curbs imposed in an extraordinary situation, uncertainty prevails and people have become hopeless hence, the Sindh government will have to take steps to deal with the situation by providing relief to Karachiites during the last two days before Eid”, he added.

    Chairman of KCCI’s Special Committee for Small Traders Majeed Memon pointed out that many shopkeepers are already going through terrible crises due to limited business activities since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic hence, the government must look into the possibility of providing them relief for just two days before Eid by allowing them to carry on businesses from Iftar to Sehri otherwise many businesses will not be able to survive and wipeout forever. “The situation, if not promptly responded and wisely handled, would lead to intensifying the hardships not only for business community but also for the already ailing economy, besides triggering massive unemployment and poverty which would prove more dangerous than the pandemic”, he added.

  • CAA makes QR code must after discovery of fake COVID certificates

    CAA makes QR code must after discovery of fake COVID certificates

    KARACHI: Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Pakistan on Monday made QR code with negative COVID results for air travelers arriving into Pakistan.

    The decision has been taken after discovery fake certificates of COVID tests provided by persons at international arrivals.

    In a statement the CAA said that it had been noted with grave concerns that passengers travelling to Pakistan, especially from Gulf States, had tested COVID-19 positive upon arrival despite being in possession of negative PCR test results prior to commencement of travel to Pakistan, as stipulated in the country’s COVID-19 standard operating procedures.

    “Upon conducting an investigation into the issue, it has been found that said passengers travelled to Pakistan using fake PCR negative Test results and therefore endangered not only passengers travelling with them but also undermined the intense efforts being made at the national levels to curb the spread of COVID-19,” the CAA said.

    The CAA said that it was not authority’s responsibility alone but it had to be shared by all concerned stakeholders including airline operators.

    In view of the foregoing, the competent authority directed all the airlines operating to/from Pakistan must ensure:

    All passengers travelling to Pakistan possess PCR test results only from respective government approved labs.

    No test result be accepted without valid QR code certifying the negative test results in the name of a passenger.

    Only original test results/reports are accepts prior to checking in passengers for flights to Pakistan and no copies are accepted.

    Passengers not registered through the pass tract app are not accepted for travel to Pakistan.

    All airline operators operating to/from Pakistan are to ensure strict compliance with the directives and enforce effective mechanism to ensure no such incident of similar nature occurs in the future.

    In case of non-conformance with the directives, Pakistan CAA reserves the right to impose regulatory punitive action against such airline operators including but not limited to financial penalties and revocation of flight authorization.