Lahore Transport Company (LTC) Chairman Khwaja Ahmed Hassan condemned the imposition of 16 percent general sales tax (GST) on the purchase of diesel and CNG buses and said that it would adversely affect the Lahore Urban Transport Project. In a press statement, Hassan, who is also advisor to Punjab chief minister, said that GST’s imposition would raise the bus price by approximately Rs 1 million per bus, while hampering the investment process in the Urban Transport Sector. He said that the new transport operators have voiced their concern and the LTC was supporting them. He said that the federal government was acting against the interest of the poor. He said the public was facing hardships in the domain of urban transport and the GST would only add to it. The federal budget should have reflected some kind of relief for the provision of standardized and affordable provision of transport facilities to the public, he said. “Owing to the CM’s leadership, locals and foreigners have shown interest in investing in the Urban Transport Sector, but such taxation will hamper the process,” said Hassan. He demanded the government withdraw GST from buses.
