Traders associations from Karachi have strongly criticized the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for excluding representatives of small traders and shopkeepers from Pakistan’s commercial capital in its newly formed consultative committee on the fixed tax scheme.
Javed Shams, President of Anjuman-e-Tajiran Sindh (Karachi Division), voiced serious concerns on Saturday over the lack of representation for Karachi-based traders in the FBR’s decision-making process. “It is highly disappointing that traders from Karachi—who play a pivotal role in the national economy—were sidelined in the formation of the committee,” he said.
The FBR recently constituted the consultative committee to address the issues of small traders that emerged after the announcement of the federal budget 2019-2020. According to Shams, it was previously agreed in a meeting between the FBR chairman and small traders that all regions, including Karachi, would be adequately represented.
“Despite clear commitments, no representative from Karachi has been included,” Shams added, emphasizing that Karachi contributes nearly 70 percent of Pakistan’s total tax revenue. “Excluding Karachi traders from key tax policy discussions is not just unjust but damaging to the spirit of national unity and cooperation,” he said.
The traders’ leader demanded immediate inclusion of Karachi’s trader representatives in the consultative process to ensure fair policy-making and protect the interests of the city’s massive retail and wholesale sectors. He warned that continued exclusion may erode trust between the FBR and Karachi’s business community.