LAHORE: A 25pc luxury tax has been proposed to be enforced on high-class restaurants and hotels catering food to the elites after 8pm at night, said Punjab Minister for Industries, Commerce and Investment Sheikh Allauddin on Friday.
He said those items that were exclusively available to the elite, should be made accessible to the common man too, said a local newspaper report. This was in response to the criticism by the opposition over the imposition of regulatory duty on various items.
As the debate started about ‘regulatory duty’ in Punjab Assembly, Allauddin said a section of society worked all day and should be given access to such items at affordable rates. He added that no criticism should be levelled on taxes enacted on that section of society which spent lavishly on bridal outfits.
Responding to the criticism of the opposition leader regarding rising prices of vegetables, Allauddin assured that the prices of these items would fall once supplies from Sindh are started receiving. He pointed out that till July, no shortage of tomatoes had been witnessed in the market.
He added Balochistan normally provided tomatoes to Punjab during August and September, but a virus infested created a shortage of the vegetable which resulted in its short supplies. Because of this shortage, prices of tomatoes skyrocketed to Rs110 to Rs120 per kg despite supplies being received from KP, but it wasn’t enough to address the shortfall.
Allauddin claimed that specific groups importing tomatoes from India had tried applying pressure tactics and used tactics to sought permission for it, which the government didn’t bend down to. He challenged the opposition leader to pinpoint a single item which affected the common man by imposition of regulatory duty.
He said why couldn’t regulatory duty be imposed on individuals who owned 3000cc cars or vehicles valued above Rs40m. Allauddin said a 60pc regulatory duty had been imposed on wheat import, to protect the interest of farmers and create impediments in import of the commodity.
Minister for Industries reiterated that regulatory duties had been imposed in the larger interest of the country and its industry.
