LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President on Sunday asked Federal Finance Minister Miftah Ismail to withdraw tax on electricity bills. Taking to Twitter, Maryam wrote that “Miftah Bhai! Withdraw tax on electricity bill because traders are worried and complaining, hope you find a solution.” In another tweet, she penned that “Just spoke to Miftah Ismail, he assured me that he will sit with the traders tomorrow and find a solution to their complete satisfaction.”
Meanwhile, Miftah Ismail announced relief in tax for shopkeepers who consume less than 150 units of electricity per month.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Ismail said that government is seeking annual tax of Rs36,000 from small shopkeepers and stressed that everyone will have to pay taxes.
“Industries as well as bankers would also have to pay taxes,” he said, adding that another tax will come into force from the next year, “ten pct tax will be imposed on the companies that could not export 10 percent of their output”.
Finance minister also said that the rupee, which is rapidly depreciating against the US dollar in recent weeks, would see improvement in the next two to three weeks.
He stated that this month and the previous month, the government had to make payments worth billions which had caused the local currency to come under pressure. –Agencies
