ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafiz Shaikh has said that five federal ministries would be abolished and shifted to provinces under the devolution plan within the next few weeks, while the abolishment and transfer of another five would follow by the end of this year.
Following the inauguration of a seminar – Making the 18th Amendment and NFC Award Work – the federal minister told reporters that the ministries to be transferred to the provinces under the provisions of the 18th Amendment would include the ministries of population welfare, youth affairs, local bodies and rural development, zakat and ushr, special initiatives, culture and tourism, special education, social welfare, special education and minorities’ affairs.
He said the ministries that were to be transferred within weeks included the youth affairs, special initiatives and zakat and ushr ministries. To a question on abolishing tax exemptions to various sectors, Shaikh said efforts would be made to implement taxes according to the spirit of soon-to-be-implemented reformed general sales tax bill.
The reformed GST Bill is scheduled to be taken up for discussion in parliament during its upcoming session starting from November 1, he said. Speaking at the inaugural session earlier, the federal minister said the conference was in time to deal with critical issues facing the nation after the passage of 18th Amendment.
