ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that the government, in principle, had decided to publish tax directory containing tax details of the Parliamentarians following severe criticism by the US and the UK.
Replying to a question during a media briefing, the Finance Minister said that the present government had decided to be on high moral ground in response to the statements by the US Secretary of State and some members of the UK Parliament during the tenure of the previous government that Pakistan must tax its elites if it wanted to continue receiving foreign assistance.
The minister faced some tough questions about the steps the government had taken over the past nine months. He said that he was unable to comment on the tax rate as a decision about taxes would be taken by the Parliament. However, he stated that a comprehensive exercise was conducted to phase out the SROs regime and some portion of it would be implemented in the next fiscal year’s budget through the Finance Bill 2014. To a question about prices of essential commodities have not decreased despite appreciation of rupee against dollar, he said that it was noted that the prices of essential commodities were 20 to 25 percent lower in “Sasta Bazaars”’ as compared to regular markets. According to him, provinces have also been asked to ensure reduction in the prices of essential commodities.
The Finance Minister also claimed that the government was on track in terms of energy sector reforms; and it had so far provided Rs180 billion subsidy out of total allocation of Rs250 billion for the current fiscal year. According to budget documents, the government had allocated Rs220 billion subsidy for power sector for the current fiscal year, which may have been revised upward to Rs250 billion.
