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Rabbani refers SRO issue to finance committee, seek report in next session

Rabbani refers SRO issue to finance committee, seek report in next session

ISLAMABAD, (MILLAT ONLINE):Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani on Friday referred the matter of issuance of an SRO to the concerned committee which exempted a particular company from the payment of sales tax and federal excise duty.
The Chairman took the decision over a calling attention notice moved by Senator Barrister Murtaza Wahab about the issuance of SRO No.47 (1)/2008, dated 23 January, 2018 whereby one particular company has
been exempted from the Payment of Sales Tax and Federal Excise Duty.
The chairman said that Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had no authority to approve the SRO according to judgment of the Supreme Court.
State Minster for Finance and Economic Affairs Rana Muhammad Afzal said that the SRO was issued because the projects were being carried out under CPEC.
The Minister for Planning Commission and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal said all the projects under CPEC have exemption from the taxes. “It will be unjustified that we should take taxes on the amount being taken as loan under CPEC projects,” he added.
Later, the Senate passed amendments in rules 79 and 81 of the Rules of procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate.The amendments were moved by the leader of the House in the Senate Raja Zafar-ul-Haq.