SIALKOT: The Travel and Tour Agents’ Association has strongly rejected the levy of 16 percent general sales tax by the government on all domestic and international flights, terming this levy an attempt to cut the throat of travel agents, who were already striving for their survival.
Talking to newsmen, Travel and Tour Agents Association Gujranwala President Ch Manzur Hussain, Senior Vice President Qamar Ranjha, General Secretary Khurram Bhatti, Joint Secretary Farrukh Butt and Hafiz Muhammad Naeem said that the government had already levied 60 percent GST on all domestic and international air tickets and now additional levy of 16 percent GST on all air tickets would be an additional burden on the shoulders of the travellers.
They said that the 16 percent addition levy of GST would increase the cost of ticket by Rs 4,000 for all domestic flights and Rs 10, 000 to Rs 15,000 per ticket for all international flights.
They added that the commission by the airlines had already been finished in this regard. They added that this would prove to be cutting the throat of travel agents, besides, adding to the miseries of both travellers and the travel agents.
They added that the people, who had already got reserved their domestic and international flights’ tickets, would also have to pay the additional 16 percent GST.
They demanded immediate withdrawal of the said 16 GST on the air tickets in the larger national interest.
The goods transporters have also rejected the 16 percent levy of GST on the goods transports by the government.
Meanwhile, Goods Transporters’ Association Gujranwala President Wasifur Rehman Butt, Senior Vice President Imran Butt, General Secretary Muhammad Muneer Rajput and other leading goods transporters Asim Dar, Habibur Rehman and Rashid Mehmood, while talking to newsmen, said that the government has increased their miseries by levying 16 percent GST on the goods transportation, saying that the transporters were already paying a heavy taxes to the government and now the levy of this additional 16 percent GST would close down their businesses.
They said that goods transporters were already paying Rs 40,000 to Rs 100,000 every year to the government, saying that every goods vehicle coming from Karachi to Lahore had to pay Rs 10,000 at all the toll plazas on the way, besides paying heavy taxes in shape of weighing machines’ taxes, diesel and token taxes as well.
They said that the Punjab government was still adopting a step-motherly treatment with the goods transporters despite heavy payment of such taxes.
They said that the goods transporters were ready to pay the taxes to the government, but there should be a proper taxation system in the country for providing the direly needed facilities to the goods transporters as well.
They said that the government should ensure the safety and security of the goods transporting vehicles, their drivers and other staff on the national highways and main roads as well, as bandits often snatch the trucks and other vehicles carrying goods.
They also lodged a complaint that the traffic wardens and police often harass the goods transporters at almost all the pickets, seeking bribery for getting permission to pass through.
They pointed out that instead of providing the needed facilities to the goods transporters and providing them the trucks on subsidised rates, the Punjab government has levied 16 percent GST on all the goods transporters.
They revealed that this levy would close down their businesses across the country, besides, rendering jobless hundreds of thousands of labourers, who are directly or indirectly attached with the business of goods transportation.
