MCI accepts demand of business community for signboard tax

Islamabad: The business community is facing problems due to the high signboard tax rate and trade license fee and urged the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) to address these issues by revising their rates, said President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari.

He urged the MCI to charge the signboard tax rate of Rs60 per square yard and a trade license fee of Rs1,000 per annum which would ease the problems of the business community and facilitate in growth of business activities.

He said this while talking to Shakeel Arshad, Director, DMA, MCI during his visit to the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Engineer Azhar ul Islam Zafar, vice president ICCI said that the close cooperation of MCI is important to boost business and economic activities and urged the MCI to extend all possible facilitation to the business community by addressing issues.

Muhammad Ejaz Abbasi, convener, MCI Committee of ICCI, Zafar Bakhtawari, Shehzad Shabbir Abbasi President Super Market, Ahmed Khan President, F-10 Markaz, Khurram Khan President Islamabad Restaurants Association, Khalid Chaudhry and representatives of markets also highlighted various issues that needed the attention of MCI for redress.

Speaking at the occasion, Shakeel Arshad, Director, DMA, MCI accepted the demand of the business community to charge signboard tax at Rs60 per square yard.

He further said that the pending area signboard tax would be charged according to the 2008 rate at Rs20 per square yard without any additional charges and stressed that after the notification, the business community should pay this tax to settle its dues.

He said that the trade license rate would be finalised after further discussion, preferably according to the wishes of the stakeholders.

He said that MCI is introducing a mobile app for the renewal of trade licenses to facilitate the business community. He said that the CDA Board had finalised the tax of Rs500 for outdoor areas of restaurants and it could also be revised by the Board.

He assured that he would always cooperate with the business community to facilitate them. The issues of occupation of footpaths and green areas were also discussed and Director DMA said that MCI has allowed controversy-free areas for business activity.