Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervez Rashid on Wednesday said the government did not impose taxes on basic commodities of life to facilitate the common man.
Basic necessities including pulses, meat, spices, milk, medicines etc were exempted from General Sales Tax (GST), he added.
Talking to a private television channel, he said the government had formed a mechanism to stop leakages of agriculture tax in the country, adding that provinces were responsible to collect agriculture tax. He said previously only Sindh and Punjab paid agriculture tax.
One percent GST was increased to steer the country out from the economic crisis and to overcome electricity load shedding in the country, he said.
He said the government was committed to get rid of IMF loans. He urged development of resources for economic stability, saying that Pakistan Railways, PIA and other public sector institutions were functioning in crisis.
The PML-N had boosted the country’s defense by carrying out atomic explosions in its previous regime, he said.
Replying to a question, he said 30 percent expenditures of the government had been decreased to ensure economic development.
He said a sharp increase in loans was witnessed during the former regime, adding that the present government would also have to pay back these loans. Talking about former president Pervez Musharaf, the information minister said that the matter was in court and the government would follow orders of the apex court in this regard.
The minister expressed concern over terrorist activities in Balochistan, saying the meeting of heads of all security agencies had been called to identify weaknesses.
He said the government would appoint a capable governor in Sindh for the betterment of law and order situation in Karachi.
He said the federal government would fully support Sindh to maintain law and order in the country’s commercial capital.
