ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications, Privatization and board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan has directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) to setup priorities for the construction of highways and identification of new projects.
He observed that there would be no compromise on the quality of construction of highways and roads so Chairman NHA should depute honest and competent officers for the projects. Chairing a high-level meeting of the NHA here, the federal minister said that the real problem was the funds as just spending money was not a miracle so the Government departments have to take steps to raise their income.
He further said that the officers of the NHA should take advantage of their abilities and expertise to develop a model of working on projects in other countries as well so that the annual income of the Authority could be increased.
Regarding the construction of highways and roads in the northern region, Abdul Aleem Khan said that the construction of the Gilgit-Khunjrab Motorway could prove to be a game changer by providing access to China and Central Asian States, similarly land connectivity through road and rail up to Gwadar is of very important.
In the meeting, the federal minister was given a detailed briefing on the Gilgit Package including the construction of Gilgit to Chitral, Shandoor, Mansehra and other roads by NHA, on which Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan said that increasing the security and facilities on the highways would also enhance the number of tourists and traveling citizens.
It was informed in the meeting that this year, the NHA will get additional funds of 23 billion rupees including the construction of new toll plazas and their functioning. The projects of NHA in the four provinces were discussed in detail and some important decisions were taken in this high-level meeting.
Earlier, the income tax, sales tax and additional sales tax collected by revenue authorities on goods imported from China through the Khunjerab Pass is illegal, the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court declared. The court stopped the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Customs from collecting these taxes.
The order was issued by Justice Raja Shakeel Ahmed on a petition filed by GB Importers and Exporters Association president Muhammad Iqbal through his counsel. The trader challenged the taxes collected at the Sost Dry Port on Chinese goods imported through the Khunjerab Pass.
The petitioners said the FBR, through a 1996 notification — which is still operational — had suspended the collection of sales tax on imported goods in GB.
He also referred to the subsequent orders by the GB Council Secretariat in Islamabad, the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan and the GB law department, which declared the region exempt from these taxes.
Still, the FBR and Customs were “illegally” collecting these taxes in violation of their authority, the petitioner pleaded.Following the proceedings, Justice Ahmed issued a short order and admitted the petition for regular hearing.
He noted that GB was indeed exempted from all kinds of taxes, and the issue has been decided by courts in the past.The petition will now be fixed for hearing after summer vacations.While talking to media, Advocate Adnan Hussain, one of the petitioner’s lawyers, said federal and regional authorities had issued several notifications exempting GB from sales tax, income tax, and additional sales tax.
Additionally, the region’s chief court has already decided that GB is exempted from these taxes.“Despite [these] exemptions, FBR has been illegally collecting and deducting the taxes from GB traders on imported items from China at Sost Dry port,” he added.
Mr Iqbal, the petitioner, said GB traders were ready to pay the custom duty and other taxes, but they will continue their struggle against “all illegal taxes at Sost Dry port”.The discontent among GB traders over these taxes has already resulted in numerous strikes and halting of trade activities in the region since April, with the latest strike earlier this month.
Earlier in June, the GB Assembly also passed a resolution demanding the federal government stop collecting taxes on goods imported from China through the Khunjerab Pass.
