Govt's Amended Finance Bill 2018 retains restrictions on purchase of property, vehicles by non-filers
Shares
The Government has decided to continue with restrictions imposed in the Federal Budget on purchase of property and vehicles by non-filers with three exemptions.
Winding up debate on Supplementary Budget proposals in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Finance Minister Asad Umar said overseas Pakistanis and those acquiring property through inheritance would be exempted.
He said those purchasing vehicles of capacity less than 200-CC would also be exempted from this restriction. He said fine would be imposed if someone acquires property or vehicle despite being non-filer.
The Minister said modern technology would be used to expand the tax net and a beginning has been made by issuing notices to 169 big non-filers.
He said second phase of the campaign would also be launched this week and the number of notices would reach to thousands.
The Finance Minister appealed to well-to-do people to pay their due taxes and contribute towards progress of the country.
He assured on behalf of the Prime Minister that the tax money would be utilized judiciously.
Asad Umar clarified that the supplementary budgetary proposals would be effective from first of July this year.
He said all development projects of Balochistan would be completed.
Responding to Finance Minister Asad Umar’s winding up speech in the House, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif said the PML-N government ended power shortage in the country by adding thousands of megawatts of electricity to the system.
He said credit goes to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for bringing huge Chinese investment under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Shahbaz Sharif said PML-N saved one hundred sixty billion rupees by installing affordable electricity projects.
PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said his party will welcome forensic audit of all power projects.
Earlier, taking part in the debate on the bill, PPP Chairman Bilwal Bhutto Zardari said the mini budget does not contain anything to enhance tax-net as common Pakistanis and even those, who voted for PTI, have been ignored in it.
He questioned how the government will fulfill its 100-day plan when it has cut down 250 billion rupees in the development, fourteen billion in health, and six billion rupees in higher education sectors. He said no relief has been provided to peasant class.
PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said government should withdraw its decision to facilitate non-filers in buying property and vehicles.
He said steps should be taken to enhance industrial production, exports, and tax net. He said cut in development budget will lead to unemployment in the country.
The National Assembly passed “The Finance Supplementary (Amendment) Bill, 2018 with majority vote on Wednesday.
The House has now been prorogued.
The House unanimously adopted a resolution that National Anthem should be played after the recitation of Holy Quran and Naat on the commencement of every session of the lower house.
The resolution was moved by Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi.
The National Assembly also adopted a resolution amending the constitution of a special committee of the parliament to probe alleged rigging in last general election.
According to the amendment, moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan, the committee will comprise of thirty members having equal representation from the treasury and the opposition benches.
Ten of these members will be taken from Senate.
Chairman of the committee will be from government side.
