The shopkeepers say they are helpless to earn livelihood for their families and have no other option even to quit.
LAHORE: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 1st, 2022) Retailers and shop-keepers are quite worried about their sources of earning after the Federal government started tax collection through electricity bills.
The shops which were kept closed last month also received around Rs7000 electricity bills.
“What can I do now?,” asked Muhammad Ashraf, a shopkeeper near Ferozpur road. He said, “I have received around Rs10,000 electricity bills which is totally unbelievable,”.
He said that he had already been facing problems after the numbers of customers fell down due to inflation and now the rest of the situation got worsen due to electricity bills.
Ashraf said he used to pay around Rs2100 to Rs2500 electricity bills and was quite satisfied with my work but unbelievable bills of Rs10,000 caused him serious mental stress and business loss.
A hairdresser received power bills of around Rs15,000 and he was also looking quite sad and depressed.
“I hardly earn 30,000 rupees to 40,000 and if I have to pay Rs15,000 electricity bills then what is left for me to look after my family,” he said.
From the big traders to small shopkeepers all are worried due to high electricity bills and high tax have left no other option even to quit.
On other hand, Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail said that the government is taking steps to satisfy the small traders with the new tax law.
Taking to Twitter, Miftah said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already instructed him to ensure that small traders are completely satisfied with the new tax law.
The Finance Minister said in order to satisfy the small traders, the government will exempt shops with bills of less than 150 units from this tax.
He said the government would charge three thousand rupees even to those shopkeepers who are not registered with FBR.
Miftah Ismail said the tax paid would be full and final and no tax notice would be issued to shopkeepers nor FBR officers will visit their shops.
