PESHAWAR: The business community has rejected the government`s decision regarding hike in regulatory duty on 313 import items and imposition of Rs40 billion new taxes, warning that such steps would multiply miseries of the low income group.

In a statement here on Friday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KPCCI) presidentZulfiqarAliKhandemanded of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to avoid taking unpopular decisionsunder pressure of the IMF and withdraw the decision about levy of new taxes.

He said that the federal government had taken the decision of collecting Rs40 billion taxes in order to save its face as the IMF had directed it to impose such taxes. He said that the prime minister should keep in mind the financial problems of the entire nation, particularly the middle and lower middle classes, instead of imposing new taxes.

`Civilised governments always facilitate public instead of imposing taxes on daily use commodities, especially petroleum products, electricity, water, flour, rice, pulses, meat, dairy products, flowers, vegetables and public transport,` he said and added that ultimate sufferers would be the poor.The chamber chief said that the government had planned to collect the Rs40 billion till June 2016, but it would be extremely unfair. He said that it was quite ironic that the government was imposing taxes on potatoes, tomatoes, guava, pomegranates, mango and other daily use items instead of taxing the luxury vehicles and other items.

The KPCCI president said that imposition of new taxes would result in unprecedented price hike. He said that situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would worsen with imposition of the new taxes because the people had already suffered heavily due to the militancy, flash floods and earthquakes during the past some years. He said that the prime minister should withdraw the decision in the larger interest ofthe nation.