ISLAMABAD – The National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenueon Monday stressed that being very scarce and raw material of manyindustries and depleted of forest reserves in the country the Federal Boardof Revenue (FBR) should remove the Additional Custom Duty on import oftimber as special case, because of its sensitivity of the product.
Discussing the matter for elimination of Additional Custom Duty on rawmaterial of wood and timber the members were of the view that governmentwas spending huge amount on growing trees to save wood stock and topreserve the environment.
The meeting of the committee was held here under the chairmanship ofFaizullah.The committee decided that FBR will submit its comprehensive report in thatregard and Ministry of Climate Change may be invited in the next meeting.
Meanwhile the committee also directed the FBR to abolish the regulatoryduties on import of tyre to prevent smuggling.
The committee directed the Board to address the grievances of textileexporters with the consultation of Hafiz Pasha (Exporter from Faisalabadtextile industry).
Discussing the matter with respect to deduction of 5 percent maintenanceallowance from the federal employees residing in the government houses andapartments, Ali Awan said the ministry of housing was not utilizing thefund of deduction on the maintenance of houses and apartments, thereforethis deduction should be abolished for employees of grade 6 to grade 15.
A senior official from ministry of housing informed that this year theministry would collect around Rs 82 million in term of deduction, however,this money would be submitted under the government’s non tax revenue head.
He informed that Pak PWD was responsible for the maintenance, however morethan 80 percent of total fund is spent on the pensions and salaries of theemployees of Pak PWD.The committee directed that a uniform policy must be formulated in thisregard to resolve the issue.
While considering the report of the Sub-Committee of the Standing Committeeon Finance (appointed under the convenership of Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha, MNA).The committee expressed its displeasure on the consecutive absence of theGovernor, State Bank of Pakistan in the meetings of the committee, despiteof repeated requests and directed the Ministry of Finance to ensure theattendance of the Governor, SBP in the next meeting.
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The committee also desired that Advisor to the Prime Minister on FinanceHafiz Shaikh may be requested to attend the next meeting of the Committee.
The committee discussed the taxation issues being faced by the exporters,importers and retail sectors. The committee members have expressed theirapprehensions with regard to the targets set by the FBR after removing theSRO 1125.
However, Member Policy (IR) FBR Dr Hamid Khan informed that Government wasworking efficiently to resolve the problems of the exporters and importers.
He also presented the details of the tax refunds issued by the FBR fromJuly 1 to November 30 in the field of Income Tax, Sale Tax, Federal ExciseDuty and Custom.
The meeting was informed that during first five months of current fiscalyear, the FBR had refunded Rs 11 billion out of total refund claims fromthe exporters belonging to five zero rated sectors.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Jamil Ahmed Khan, Faheem Khan, AftabHussain Siddique, Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, AliPerviz, Dr. Aisha Ghaus Pasha, Dr Nafisa Shah, . Jawad Hussain, MuhammadIsrar Tareen, Abdul Wasay and Ali Nawaz Awan, MNA mover of the CallingAttention besides the senior officers from Ministry of Finance, Revenue &Economic Affairs, FBR, State Bank of Pakistan and Ministry of Law & Justice.