The FBR has given tax exemption to the Supreme Court dam fund saying that some other welfare organizations are also enjoying the same tax relief, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

This was informed in a Senate Standing Committee on Finance meeting held in Islamabad on Saturday. The meeting was presided over by its Chairman Senator Saleem Mandviwalla.  

The FBR authorities disclosed that the Supreme Court dam fund was given tax exemption. They said that several other welfare associations had also been given the tax concessions owing to the nature of their work which is public-oriented. 

However, Senator Sadia Abbasi raised an objection on the SC dam fund. She was of the view that conserving water and building water reservoirs was government’s job. It is not the jurisdiction of the apex court to increase water resources in country, she added. 

She further said that the money which the UK government had retrieved from a real estate tycoon was still in possession of the Supreme Court.

Senator Talha chipped in saying that this money should be deposited in the national exchequer as per the law. 

The committee rejected a proposal to put tax on the salary after combining pilots’ flying allowance into it. 

The Senate body, however, approved a capital gain tax on the properties of serving and retired government employees. 

The Senate Standing Committee on Finance endorsed a decision to raise 100% tax on registration of cars for non-filers.

Giving briefing to the committee members, FBR chairman said that the problem of Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association’s refunds had been sorted.

The FBR chairman told the committee that for commercial importers, duty on imported coal had been increased from 2% to 4%. However, for IPPs, duty on coal has been reduced from 2% to 1%, he added.  

He said that Pakistanis had to pay 1% capital value tax on their declared property abroad. 

He told the meeting that the tax on non-filers for car registration had been increased by 100%. He, however, suggested to exempt the small car buyers from the tax increase no matter whether they are filers or non-filers. 

He said that government wanted documentation of the economy. He stated that if a non-filer wanted to buy car, then he should pay tax. 

The FBR chairman further said that a non-filer has to pay 5% tax on whatever property he buys. 

After the briefing, the Senate committee endorsed the decision to raise car registration tax for non-filers by 100%. 

Reporter Waqas Azeem