, Jan. 26 -- The chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), Md Abdur Rahman Khan, has called on businesses to abandon their reliance on tax exemptions, urging them instead to focus on sustainable growth through competition.

"There is a mindset among many businesspeople that business cannot thrive without tax or VAT exemptions. They need to move away from this attitude," Khan said while addressing the World Customs Day program on Sunday. The event was held at the Multipurpose Hall of the NBR, with Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed as the chief guest.

Khan raised a critical question about the success of developed countries, where businesses grow without the heavy reliance on tax or VAT exemptions.

Taxpayers can submit income tax...