Transporters, advertisers slam WHT hike

Fleet operators, goods transporters, advertisers and yarn merchants on Monday strongly criticised the federal government’s decision to increase the withholding tax (WHT) on specified services from 4pc to 6pc, warning that the move would cripple struggling sectors, discourage formalisation, and further strain Pakistan’s fragile economy. At a press conference held at the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), representatives of the Fleet Operators Association of Pakistan (FOAP) and allied transport bodies said the hike in WHT — effective from July 1 — would be disastrous for small and medium-sized logistics businesses. They argued the increase would push many operators out of the formal tax net in a desperate bid to stay afloat, inevitably fuelling corruption and weakening regulatory enforcement.