Karachi, July 1, 2025 – The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) is gearing up for a thunderous showdown against what it calls the “oppressive and unjust” arrest powers granted to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) under the newly passed Finance Act, 2025.
In a dramatic escalation, the KCCI has announced a high-stakes press conference set for July 3, 2025, rallying business bodies nationwide to unite against the FBR’s sweeping authority. KCCI leaders are calling on chambers and trade associations across Pakistan to come under one banner to resist the “draconian provisions” that now allow FBR to arrest taxpayers.
The business community’s fury is focused squarely on Sections 37A and 37B of the Sales Tax Act, inserted through the Finance Act, which the KCCI describes as legislative landmines. These new clauses enable the FBR to arrest, freeze bank accounts, and seize assets without due process—a move that KCCI warns could devastate business confidence across the country.
“KCCI is not standing alone,” said President Muhammad Jawed Bilwani. “We’ve already launched an aggressive citywide campaign with banners denouncing FBR’s overreach. And this is just the beginning. The next phase could be a full-scale shutdown—Karachi today, nationwide tomorrow.”
Bilwani didn’t hold back in slamming the Finance Minister’s repeated claims of a “business-friendly” budget, calling such remarks “disconnected from reality.” He said the KCCI and exporters across Pakistan unanimously reject these policies, which fail to address core issues like inflated energy costs, gas and water shortages, and delayed tax refunds.
“The FBR’s arrest powers are a ticking time bomb,” Bilwani warned. “No tax-compliant citizen is safe anymore. Even the most loyal taxpayers are now vulnerable to being treated like criminals. Is this how you build an economy?”
The KCCI chief underscored that this isn’t just a Karachi protest—FBR’s arrest powers have triggered outrage from Faisalabad to Sialkot. “All major industrial cities are with us. And if the government ignores our voice, we will bring Pakistan’s business activity to a standstill.”
As tensions rise, the KCCI’s looming press conference could ignite a full-blown revolt against FBR’s arrest regime—one that may rewrite the rules of business resistance in Pakistan.