ISLAMABAD: Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid has informed the Senate that any Pakistan citizen, having Computerised National Identity Card, can now file tax returns, using CNIC number as his/her National Tax Number (NTN) while the criterion will remain the same under section 114 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Finance, during the question-hour, the Law minister said that rules have been amended as announced by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in his budget speech in June this year.
“It is very good news…now every citizen is bound to file his tax returns,” remarked Senator Nauman Wazir of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who had asked whether or not as announced by the minister, all CNICs had been converted into NTNs or it was merely a political gimmickry.
In response to questions by Senators Mian Attique of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Nauman Wazir and Muhammad Azam Swati of PTI, the law minister said that tax forms are being simplified and things are moving towards E-filing and scores of companies have already done so, being a continuous exercise.
In a written reply to a question by Senator Sirajul Haq, Ishaq Dar said that total number of federal government pensioners stands at 1,849524, consisting of personnel of civil armed forces, armed forces and civilians paid out of defence.
Taking notice of various questions the answers of which were not provided by the respective government departments, Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani cautioned to either pass strictures or ruling, if this trend continues any more.
“Replies must be furnished and shared with the Senate Secretariat, as question hour is one form of the government’s accountability,” he remarked.
To a question by PTI’s Senator Mohsin Aziz, Dar said that transgender population would be captured in the current census as a separate category and noted that use of tablets in the census process is suggested by the stakeholders.
However, he added, at this stage with 42.5 million intelligence character recognition (ICR) already got printed, it was found not feasible.
He added in addition, the infrastructure for scanning of ICR forms and data processing, use of computer technology in aid of traditional method was under consideration.
“A separate code will be assigned to the transgender population under the column titled ‘sex’. Necessary amendments have been made in the manual of instructions of Form 2, 2-A and Form REN-2,” he noted.
To the surprise of many senators and those sitting in the visitors galleries, Minister for Industries Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi revealed in response to a question by MQM’s Tahir Hussain Mashhadi that there has been no case of corruption in his ministry during the last over three years. He added there might be such cases in autonomous bodies and departments.
The senators welcomed the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association delegation, consisting of Secretary General Akbar Khan and Lucy Pickles in the Visitors’ Gallery by thumping desks when Rabbani made the announcement about the presence of the visitors.
On finding incomplete information in response to her question, PPP Senator Sehar Kamran urged the Chair for deferring the question. The Chair deferred it. She had sought details of targets fixed under Vision 2025, details of achievements made so far and information about those targets, which were required to be achieved so far but have missed their timelines indicating also the reasons for the same.
Later, Ishaq Dar came to the House with a big smile on face, and broke the news of a significant increase in salaries of the lawmakers that was approved in a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister.
He said that after hectic efforts he managed to increase the salaries of the fellow lawmakers. He also gave the details of the salaries.
Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani sent back a report of the House Standing Committee on Defence on a bill (for reconsideration) to amend the National Command and Authority Act, 2010, saying apparently, the proposed piece of legislation hit the key constitutional provisions, including the one on fundamental rights.
Rabbani contended that the state could not take away fundamental rights of employees, like the freedom of association. He also explained that the bill prima facie struck Articles 4, 8, 17 and 25 of the Constitution.
He made this observation when on behalf of Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, who heads the committee, PML-N Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi rose to present the committee’s report on the proposed amendment in NCAA.
The Chairman Senate pointed out that a particular amendment appeared to be hitting the employees’ fundamental rights. Therefore, he said the standing committee might reconsider the bill, adding there were as many as 52 judgements of the Supreme Court regarding this matter.
“But it does not mean, the legislature can’t legislate but the proposed amendment needs to be carefully reviewed,” he noted.
He reminded that besides airing recommendations or proposals, if any, it was also the duty of the committee to ensure nothing in contravention to the Constitution should be approved by it.
Replying to a question by Senator Taj Haider of PPP, Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar said that to date 98 industrial units, including seven automobiles, 15 cement, 13 chemical, seven engineering, six fertiliser, 23 ghee, 15 Roti plants and four textile units had been privatised and of these 19 were functional.
The minister noted that 18 industrial units had paid taxes amounting to Rs852.589 million, whereas 42 paid no taxes at the time of their privatisation while data pertaining to 38 units was not available at the FBR.
