The Sindh government has decided to issue new liquor shop licences to increase revenue generation, Pakistan Today has learnt. Sources said that the provincial exchequer is likely to generate revenue around Rs 3 billion from sale of liquor. Majority of the licences are being issued to influential provincial ministers and important personalities of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), sources in the Sindh Excise and Taxation (E&T) Department have revealed. They said that it is interesting to note that the licences are issued on the names of non-Muslims, but the investments are made by Muslims. Sources said that former E&T ministers Shabbir Ahmad Qaimkhani and Rauf Siddiqui remained uninfluenced by political parties and refused to issue new permits for the sale of alcohol. However, the sources added, incumbent E&T Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla of the PPP has started issuing permits for the sale of liquor.
They said that the PPP-led provincial government has thus far issued over 23 licences for establishing new liquor shops to blue-eyed political figures, adding that the Sindh government has decided to issue a number of new licences in the fiscal year 2011-12. According to sources, during the fiscal year 2011-12, the provincial exchequer is expected to generate revenue of Rs 832.065 million from duty on beer manufactured in the country; Rs 1.074 billion from duty on foreign spirits manufactured within the country; Rs 398.150 million from licence fee for the general sale of foreign spirits, whether imported or manufactured in the country; Rs 83.480 million from licence fee for commercial spirits; Rs 122.570 million from licence fee for denatured spirits; Rs 107.070 million from permit fee for denatured spirits; Rs 45.570 million from medicinal and toilet preparations containing spirits; Rs 61.020 million from duty on spirit used in the manufacture of medicines, and on rectified spirits and absolute alcohol used for medicinal purposes; Rs 146.130 million from receipts of the distilleries; Rs 26.950 million from services rendered; Rs 52.610 million from fines and confiscations; and Rs 50.115 million from other services.
