AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
KARACHI: The Pakistan Chemicals and Dyes Merchants Association (PCDMA) has voiced strong objections to the Income Tax Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, labeling it as an unfair imposition. The association is calling on President Asif Ali Zardari and the Ministry of Law and Justice to rescind the ordinance, cautioning that its continuation could adversely affect the nation’s economic stability.
PCDMA Chairman Salim Valimuhammad and Danish Saleem, an advisor to the Subcommittee for Sales Tax and Income Tax, have criticized the ordinance’s introduction, citing a lack of stakeholder consultation and parliamentary discussion. They argue that bypassing these processes has eroded the trust of the business sector and compromised the rule of law.
A particular point of contention is Sections 138(3A) and 140(6A) of the ordinance, which allow for the immediate recovery of disputed tax liabilities, even when judicial relief is granted. This, they claim, violates taxpayers’ rights to a fair judicial process.
Valimuhammad expressed concerns about the provision allowing inland revenue officers to operate within business premises, stating it could lead to taxpayer harassment and infringe on privacy.
The PCDMA has urged the government to retract the ordinance and avoid policies that could hinder business operations. Valimuhammad emphasized that a healthy business climate is crucial for generating government revenue and warned that restrictive policies could lead to significant fiscal losses for the state.