Wheat cultivators to protest across Punjab
"On August 11, a symbolic funeral for agriculture will be held outside the DC office in Kasur, and a protest will be held outside the Hyderabad Press Club on August 20," Kissan Ittehad Chairman Khalid Hussain Batth said on Saturday at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club.
Sindh Abadgar Alliance President Zubair Talpur was also present on the occasion.
Batth said protests would take place across all provinces, followed by a march toward Islamabad. "This time, we will protest before the wheat cultivation season begins," he said, clarifying that this movement has no affiliation with any political party.
He added that over the past two years, the cost of wheat cultivation has been Rs4,000 per 40kg, while the government purchased wheat from them at only Rs2,200.
"We are ready for a forensic audit," he said. "The government demands up to 45% in taxes but how can we pay taxes when we are not even making a profit?"
He said if the government does not set a wheat support price before sowing begins, they will initiate talks with the prime minister and chief ministers. If there is still no decision, province-wide protests will be launched in Punjab on August 11 and in Sindh on August 20.
"The government has failed to fix wheat prices for the last two years," he noted.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
16 hours ago
- Express Tribune
11,000 taxpayers sent 'nudging' notices
FBR has served 'nudging' notices to nearly 11,000 companies and individuals, advising them to fix anomalies in their last sales tax returns Listen to article The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has served 'nudging' notices to nearly 11,000 companies and individuals, advising them to fix anomalies in their last sales tax returns or be ready for consequences such as penalties, freezing of bank accounts, and sealing of businesses. The notices were issued last month in the middle of negotiations between the business community and the government, underscoring the authorities' resolve to recover due sales and income taxes from individuals and companies. FBR Chairman Rashid Langrial believes that existing taxpayers are paying far less than their due taxes. He has begun applying a risk management system to identify loopholes in the tax returns filed by these entities and individuals over the past five years. Sources said that in the first phase, about 11,000 nudging notices were served by corporate tax offices in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. Traders in Karachi and Lahore also observed a strike last month against the government's decision to give arrest powers to the FBR and add back half of over Rs200,000 in cash expenses in income tax calculations. When contacted, the FBR said these "non-intrusive and legally non-binding nudging notices" were served to encourage behavioural and social changes among taxpayers. "Please correct anomalies in your sales tax return. Your failure to act will be viewed as a choice not to comply," cautioned the FBR in its notices to companies and individuals in Lahore. The FBR warned that failure to address anomalies and file accurate returns in the future could lead to financial penalties, placement of FBR staff within businesses for monitoring, and best judgment assessments by tax commissioners, which can result in heavy fines. It also advised thousands of people that their bank accounts could be frozen and business premises sealed for non-compliance. Taxpayers were informed that the FBR used advanced data analytics to examine returns and benchmark them against peer businesses and jurisdictions. The analysis was fully automated without human involvement. The FBR said that for the tax years 2019 to 2024, its system identified anomalies in 2024 returns. These included unusually high sales claimed as exempt or under reduced-rate categories and low value addition based on the comparison of sales to purchases. "To avoid enforcement actions, ensure that these anomalies do not reoccur in subsequent returns and file correct sales tax returns for the upcoming due periods," the FBR cautioned. Jawed Bilwani, President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), criticised the FBR's decision to serve notices during ongoing talks. He said many KCCI members received notices without any prior awareness campaign. Bilwani also criticised the FBR's method of comparing one shop's sales patterns with competitors', arguing that sales and value addition depend on brand and quality and are not uniform. "A customer may buy a shoe for Rs100 or Rs1,000. The FBR has no right to treat both values the same," he said. The FBR, however, claimed that nudging notices helped increase the number of returns filed in July. A final analysis will be made after the extended filing deadline ends on August 4. In another type of nudging notice, the FBR warned that reduced-rate sales were unusually high relative to domestic sales, with many sales claimed as exempt or under reduced-rate categories instead of taxable. "Your reported output tax is significantly lower than expected for businesses in your sector and location," the notice stated. However, the business community argued it is unjustified to compare similar businesses without accounting for differences in efficiency, cost structures, and management. The FBR also flagged excessive refund requests stemming from high input tax claims and an unusually high number of credit and debit notes. "Please correct anomalies in your sales tax return to avoid strict enforcement actions," stated another notice. The FBR added that enforcement actions, such as posting inspectors at business sites, particularly in cement factories, have significantly improved collections despite low sales. The FBR chairman has also transferred over 250 tax officers from grades 17 to 22 as part of a strategy to place only A and B category officers, as classified by various agencies, in key field positions.
Express Tribune
18 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Wheat cultivators to protest across Punjab
The Kissan Ittehad and the Sindh Abadgar Alliance have announced a protest movement across Punjab starting from August 11 due to the government's "failure" to fix the official wheat support price. "On August 11, a symbolic funeral for agriculture will be held outside the DC office in Kasur, and a protest will be held outside the Hyderabad Press Club on August 20," Kissan Ittehad Chairman Khalid Hussain Batth said on Saturday at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club. Sindh Abadgar Alliance President Zubair Talpur was also present on the occasion. Batth said protests would take place across all provinces, followed by a march toward Islamabad. "This time, we will protest before the wheat cultivation season begins," he said, clarifying that this movement has no affiliation with any political party. He added that over the past two years, the cost of wheat cultivation has been Rs4,000 per 40kg, while the government purchased wheat from them at only Rs2,200. "We are ready for a forensic audit," he said. "The government demands up to 45% in taxes but how can we pay taxes when we are not even making a profit?" He said if the government does not set a wheat support price before sowing begins, they will initiate talks with the prime minister and chief ministers. If there is still no decision, province-wide protests will be launched in Punjab on August 11 and in Sindh on August 20. "The government has failed to fix wheat prices for the last two years," he noted.
Express Tribune
19 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Sugar crackdown sours as sweetener price stays high
Despite repeated government crackdowns, stern warnings and price controls, the sugar crisis has deepened across major cities, leaving consumers nationwide scrambling for the essential sweetener. From Karachi to Rawalpindi and Lahore, retail prices have skyrocketed as high as Rs205 per kg, while shopkeepers, fearing fines and raids, have begun refusing sugar sales to unfamiliar customers. A worsening sugar crisis continues to grip Punjab, with prices climbing to as high as Rs205 per kg and a severe shortage reported across major urban centres, including Rawalpindi and Lahore. In Rawalpindi and Islamabad, shopkeepers have stopped selling sugar to walk-in or new customers due to fear of heavy fines, shop closures and arrests by local authorities. According to the Kiryana Merchants Association, the government-mandated ex-mill price of Rs165 per kg was still not being implemented in the open market, where sugar continues to be sold at Rs200 per kg. Meanwhile, retailers complain they are caught between rising wholesale prices and aggressive crackdowns by the district administration. "We have yet to receive sugar at the official ex-mill rate of Rs165 per kg," a spokesperson for the Kiryana Association said, adding that only 1,800 sugar bags were supplied to dealers in the past week, far below demand. The district administration reported that over the past 24 hours alone, 121 shopkeepers were fined for overpricing, with penalties totalling Rs350,000. Eight shops were sealed and five shopkeepers were arrested. Meanwhile, in Lahore and other parts of Punjab, sugar prices have surged well beyond the official rate of Rs173 per kg. In many areas, sugar is now being sold between Rs200 and Rs205 per kg. Mill owners, sugar dealers and retailers are pointing fingers at one another over soaring prices and hoarding, even as all three appear to be benefiting, while ordinary consumers scramble to find sugar at official rates.
