Cabinet decides to separate tax policy from revenue administration

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Thursday decided to separate tax policy from the revenue administration in line with the manifesto of the Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf.

To this effect, a committee has been constituted to work out legal and technical modalities, according to statement issued following a meeting of the cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The cabinet reiterated maintaining strict fiscal discipline in the country for the purpose of curtailing fiscal deficit and ensuring that the expenditures and revenue remain within the budgeted estimates.

It also discussed in detail the issue of availability of surplus sugar stock in the country and the pending payments of the growers. It was decided to refer the matter to the Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet for detailed deliberations and proposing a workable solution to address the issue on priority basis.

The prime minister reiterated during the meeting that the interests of the sugarcane farmers will be protected while resolving the issue of sugar mills. The cabinet while considering financial difficulties of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation especially the issues being faced by the employees in getting their salaries and pensions, decided to grant Rs 400 million as Technical Supplementary Grant in order to provide relief to the organization.

The cabinet, however, stressed upon the need for chalking out a comprehensive plan to ensure strict financial discipline and enhancement of revenues for the purpose of financially sustainability of the organization. The prime minister directed that no employee working in the government will be sacked from services.

It approved reconstitution of a ‘Search Committee’ for appointment to the post of Vice-Chancellor Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University Islamabad. The committee would be headed by Minister for Human Rights Shirin Mazari. The cabinet approved appointment of Ayla Majid, Ghias-ud-Din Ahmed and Hamid Ali Khan as independent Directors of Central Power Purchasing Agency (Guarantee) Limited. Appointment of Faisal Ahmed, Pharmacist Drug Testing Laboratory Quetta as Technical Member-I of the Drug Court Balochistan Quetta was approved by the cabinet.

It approved release of Rs20 billion in financial year 2018/19 for the Fencing and Lighting project of Pak-Afghan border. The cabinet ratified the decisions of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet taken during its meeting on 22 November 2018.

The decisions included grant for disbursement of Provident Fund, Gratuity and payroll due to the heirs of deceased employees of Pakistan steel mill, natural gas load management during winter 2018-19 and release of public sector’s surplus wheat to poultry association of Pakistan.