Lack Of Quorum Delays Passage Of Finance Bill 2018

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th May, 2018 ) :The lack of quorum in the National Assembly delayed the passage of Finance Bill 2018, which was in process of clause by clause reading when an opposition member pointed out that the house was not in order.

Deputy Speaker, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, ordered count to be made when Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian Member, Shagufta Jamani point out the quorum. However after counting, the house was not in orders, resulting in its adjournment till Friday at 10:00a.m.

Earlier, replying to various points raised by the opposition members on finance bill, 2018-19, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail apprised the house that the upper cap of petroleum levy was being increased and not the rates.

��������The Minister said that for overcoming the trade deficit, the government had announced export package in 2017 to help overcome the problems exporters were facing at that time. ��������He said that the country's exports increased 24 percent in March 2018 and 18 percent in April 2018 while the imports have reduced by 2 percent.

He rejected the claims of opposition members on facilitating only rich through while provide tax relief, saying that the government provided Rs110 billion tax rebate to middle class people. He said that even a person intending to bring over $100,000 will be questioned about the sources of income.

He said that the imposition of certain limits on purchase of property by non-filers was aimed at broadening tax-base. He informed the house that taxpayers of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan would be included in active taxpayers list.

� Earlier, the Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah�while participating in the debate on finance bill 2018-19, claimed that the budget deficit worth has touched the Rs3,740 billion.

He claimed that debt has surged to Rs 24,000 trillion and would jump to Rs 28,000 trillion if further loans are taken to bridge the budget deficit. He demanded the government to give farmers tax-filer status as they were also paying taxes to the provincial governments after the 18th amendment.

� Opposing the budgetary proposals, Central Leader of Pakistan People Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), Syed Naveed Qamar said that his party had already opposed the budget as it considers that the government has no mandate to present budget for whole year.

He said that on one side, the government was trying to increase tax-to-GDP ratio but on the other hand, it brought amnesty scheme, which he said would discourage ordinary taxpayers on the basis that it was aimed at whitening the black money.

He said that the government had reduced income tax slabs but at the same time increased petroleum levy which would directly overburden ordinary people. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) legislator Dr Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari said that the government had no right to present the budget for the whole year adding PTI had rejected the budget 2018-19 in principle.

She criticized the government for not providing relief to the down trodden segments of the society. Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) leader S A Iqbal Qadri said that there was nothing for the poor people in the budget as more burden was put on them.

He also criticized the government for increasing petroleum products' prices. Jamat-i-Islami legislator, Sahibzada Tariq Ullah demanded the government to provide maximum relief to the poor people and announce more incentives for the farmers as 70 percent population depend on it.

PTI lawmaker Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that the government should be allocate funds for construction of new dams in the country to encourage agriculture sector. He demanded the government to further enhance the salaries and pension of the employees.

MQM leader Ali Raza Abidi strongly condemned the tax amnesty scheme on the grounds that it would badly discourage taxpayers. He also demanded the government to announce the unemployment rate. Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) member Aisha Syed said that as compared to increase in inflation, the government has not enhanced salaries with same proportion.

PPPP MNA, Shazia Marri said that it was condemnable that the government did not announce new National Finance Commission (NFC) award. She was of the view that government should discourage smoking by imposing levy on tobacco products, adding that the levy should be put in divisible pool.

Legislator of PTI, Sajid Nawaz said that the amnesty scheme announced by the government was controversial, rejecting it for being elite-oriented instead of providing incentives to the poor. He also underlined the need for streamlining sales tax structure and also highlighted the importance of further increasing the salaries.

Sher Akbar Khan of Jamat-i-Islami said that the amnesty scheme has been providing legal cover with this finance bill, which clearly indicates that the budget was for rich, demanding the government to withdraw it.

He said the budget lacked any concrete measures for creating job opportunities to cope with ever increasing unemployment in the country. He was of the views that inflation, unemployment and corruption could not be overpowered till strict accountability laws and system in the country.

�Dr Nafeesa Shah of PPPP alleged that the government has brought mini finance bill in the House in which provisions of amnesty scheme were incorporated. She wondered how provisions of amnesty schemes which were rejected by the finance committee of lower house were added to the finance bill.

She said there was dire need of charter of economy and the opposition would help the government in it. She said although the government has given relief to the salaried class in income tax but petroleum levy was increased on petroleum products.

She called for giving priority to promote the local business. Sheikh Salahuddin of MQM said the government was not taking steps to impose direct taxes rather indirect taxes. He called for disclosing the name of those for which the amnesty scheme was announced.

He also criticized the government imposing levy on the petroleum products. Abdul Sattar Bachani of PPPP said more incentive should be given to agriculture sector. APP/maw-raz-sra/