The government is all set to convene the National Assembly (NA) session on January 10 for holding a debate on the Finance (Supplementary) Bill 2021, whereas the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has already prepared a summary for this purpose, according to a report by Dawn.
Speaking with the local media outlet, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan said the government would not let the opposition block legislation through disruptions; however, the doors for negotiations on legislation were still open for the opposition.
Earlier, NA Speaker Asad Qaider had declared that the Finance (Supplementary) Bill 2021 would not be referred to the standing committee but would be debated in the house whereas he had sent the bill seeking to provide “operational and financial autonomy” to the State Bank to the house committee concerned for a report.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin, while speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad on Thursday, said that the imposition of sales tax on goods falls under the federal government’s jurisdiction and that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman has made taxpayers’ lives easier.
“We will facilitate taxpayers; however, everybody has to pay taxes,” Tarin said, adding that in the next few weeks, the revenue board will approach people without prior notice.
“Only two million people pay taxes in Pakistan, but this system will soon change,” the minister said, adding that the government and FBR plan to reach out to people with the help of technology and if they still don’t pay taxes, legal action will be taken against them.
“Everybody should pay taxes before we approach them,” Tarin stated, urging tax evaders to register themselves before the government or FBR questions them.
