Metro Bus Project affected traders of Islamabad including Blue Area, Peshawar More and I.J.Principal Road in a meeting at Chamber of Commerce and Industry have demanded of the government to give 3 years tax exemption in order to enable them to recover huge business losses incurred on account of construction Metro Bus route in the federal capital. 

 

Addressing the meeting, Muzzamil Hussain Sabri President, Muhammad Shakeel Munir Senior Vice President and Muhammad Ashfaq Hussain Chatha Vice President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that Punjab Government has waived off one year’s property tax of the traders, shopkeepers and business centers located on both sides of Murree road being affected by Metro Bus Project, which was a laudable initiative. However, they regretted that federal government has not announced any such concession for the traders of Islamabad, especially of Blue Area, Peshawar More and I.J Principal Road despite the fact that they have suffered huge losses due to the construction of this specific project. 

 

They called upon the government to seriously consider giving 3 years tax exemption including income, property, professional and general sales tax to the MBP affected traders of Islamabad so that they could get some relief for recovery of losses. They said government should also facilitate the affected traders by providing them business loans on concessional rates which will help them in reviving business activities. 

 

The traders showed great concerns over the long delay in the completion of Metro Bus Project due to which business activities in Blue Area, Peshawar More and I.J.Principal road were taking a heavy toll while the road users in the twin cities were also facing great problems.  They said the MBP was planned to be completed by December 25, 2014, but still lot of work was required to be done to complete it, which shows lack of proper planning on the part of project executors. They urged that the concerned authorities should expedite the work to complete the project as early as possible to save the traders from further losses and the people of inconvenience.