Consensus reached on business community's demands, says ministry
The meeting was chaired by Haroon Akhtar Khan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, and co-chaired by Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani. Senior officials, including Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Rashid Mahmood Langrial, Prime Minister's Coordinator Rana Ehsan Afzal, and FBR Member Operations Hamid Ateeq, also attended.
According to the Ministry of Industries and Production, the meeting saw detailed deliberations on the demands put forward by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry from across the country.
'Proposals on each demand have been finalised with consensus and will be submitted to the Prime Minister for approval,' said Haroon Akhtar Khan.
Representatives from the Chambers welcomed the government's initiative and appreciated the consultative approach adopted to resolve key concerns of the business community.
The ministry said the meeting marks 'a significant step towards building a new era of cooperation and trust between the FBR and Pakistan's business community.'
The development comes days after the government agreed to form a high-powered committee to address the business community's concerns over Section 37A of the Finance Act 2025, prompting traders to defer their planned nationwide strike for 30 days.
The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb in Islamabad, attended by representatives of major chambers of commerce, trade bodies, and business associations, the Finance Ministry said in a statement.
The minister assured the business community that the government intends to curb tax evasion, not to harass honest businesses.
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