ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs on Tuesday directed the finance ministry to submit details of jobs quota allocated for Sindh and Balochistan along with the details of working persons from the two provinces and their attached departments.
The committee, chaired by Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, also asked the establishment division to provide details of the employees working in grade-17 and above positions, which were hired from the allocated quota of these provinces.
Meanwhile, Sales Tax Policy Chief of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) apprised the meeting about the measures to reduce the cost of material used in the construction industry, particularly cement clinker.
It was informed that Federal Excise Duty (FED) on the import of cement clinker had reduced to Rs1.5 per kg from Rs2 per kg, which would also be adjustable on import stage.
Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi mentioned that merged districts of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) were exempted from FED during the period of last government for 5 years, adding that in Federal Budget 2019-20, the FED was again imposed on merged districts of FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Senator Fida Muhammad informed the committee that about 51 units were operating in these areas but due to imposition of FED, 41 units had been closed and 80,000 people became unemployed.
The chairman also asked the finance ministry to submit a detailed report regarding the supplementary and technical grant.
Among others, the meeting was attended by the Senators Zeeshan Khanzada, Mohsin Aziz, Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh, Dilawar Khan, Musadik Masood Malik, Ayesha Raza Farooq, Sherry Reham, Muhammad Akram, Morza Muhammad Afridi, Fida Muhammad and Mir Kabeer Ahmed Muhammad Shahi besides Finance Secretary, FBR Chairman, and officials of State Bank of Pakistan.
