Rs7bn tax collection through K-Electric bills to be spent on Karachi: Murtaza Wahab

KARACHI: Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab Saturday said that collection of KMC taxes through K-Electric would help in the generation of Rs7 billion annually that would be spent on improving the city’s infrastructure, ARY NEWS reported.

Speaking during ARY NEWS programme, Aiteraz Hai, the administrator Karachi said that both the Sindh government and federal authorities will have to work together to improve the infrastructure in the city. “Even if I had to go to the prime minister to seek support for KMC, I will go to him,” he said.

Murtaza Wahab while sharing how tax collection would be made through K-Electric said that the power utility has a record of three million consumers and if each of them is charged Rs200 monthly then it would generate Rs600 million monthly.

“If this amount is estimated for a year, it sums up to Rs7 billion annually,” he said.

He further shared that the KMC was receiving municipal tax for the last 15 years and it was even collected during the tenure of Mayors Karachi, Mustafa Kamal and Waseem Akhtar, both of whom represented MQM-P.

However, on the other hand, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Saturday opposed the Sindh government’s proposal to collect KMC taxes through electricity bills.

Asad Umar while talking to media along with Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi said the Centre would not allow the provincial government to collect Karachi Metropolitan Corporation taxes through power bills.

“We will not approve Sindh’s proposal,” said Umar, adding that he has spoken to Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar regarding the matter.