Call to bring Afghan businessmen under tax net

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Pakistani exporters have called for imposing taxes on Afghan businessmen or expelling them from the country.

In the prevailing situation, local exporters would be unable to compete with the Afghan businesspeople, who were not taxed, they said.

In a statement, the All Pakistan Commercial Exporters said on Monday the Afghan nationals had full grip on the business of precious and semi-precious stones.

As the Afghans were not paying any kind of tax, the local exporters had to pay various levies and were unable to win mining contracts.

The association added that in case of checking by revenue officials, the foreign traders could easily cross the border to avoid legal action.

It complained the local exporters had suffered heavily due to militancy and vague taxation policy of successive governments over the years.

The exporters asked the federal government to take steps for the repatriation of Afghan nationals so that officials of relevant departments could support the local exporters.

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