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Message: [QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 51469, member: 636"] Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman faced off with angry retailers at the Civil Secretariat on Saturday. The Chainstore Association of Pakistan stormed into his office demanding answers about the brutal 16 percent sales tax hitting commercial property rent. Association bigwigs wanted the Punjab Revenue Authority to back down from their latest cash grab. The retail bosses warned that organized shopping chains would take a massive hit from the new levy. Mujtaba found himself defending his government's money-making schemes against furious business leaders. The minister fought back by insisting that his administration hadn't slapped any fresh taxes on Punjab residents during the past two years. He claimed the government was simply cracking down on tax dodgers and making sure everyone paid what they already owed. Mujtaba explained that the Punjab Revenue Authority was working overtime to squeeze more money from taxpayers and boost provincial coffers. The finance chief reminded the delegation that most tax collection stayed with federal authorities while provinces scrambled for service-based revenue. He challenged the retail crowd to step up and pay their fair share instead of complaining about government policies. Association leaders Rana Tariq Mehmood and Asfanyar Farrukh represented the frustrated business community during the heated discussion. The retail representatives grudgingly praised some government reform efforts while pushing for tax relief. Both sides agreed that economic growth required cooperation between private business and provincial authorities. The meeting ended with promises of future collaboration despite the ongoing tax dispute. Finance officials and retail bosses pledged to work together on strengthening Punjab's struggling economy. [/QUOTE]

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