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Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Suthra Punjab neglects low-income areas
Like many projects of the Punjab government, the Suthra Punjab project too has been reserved for affluent areas. Despite the passage of four months, its scope could not be extended to the entire province, due to which the residents of low-income areas are still forced to dispose of garbage on their own. The Punjab government had launched the Suthra Punjab project for garbage collection and sanitation in the province four months ago however, the project is practically limited to advertisements, billboards and expenditures on the vehicles and uniforms of sweepers from the solid waste management companies. Till date, the sanitation system in the low-income areas of Lahore, including Wagah, Nishtar, Ravi, Samanabad, Data Ganj Bakhsh Town and other areas, remains deplorable. Except for a few posh areas of the city including Gulberg Town, Raiwind, Jati Umra and Adda Plot, garbage collection has not been started in downscale areas. Abdul Rahim, Muhammad Nasir, and Noman Naeem, three locals from Harbanspura, Nishtar Colony and Baghbanpura confirmed that more than four months had passed since the project had started -- however, the Suthra Punjab project team had still not visited their areas. 'Even today, we pay monthly charges to private garbage collectors. Although main roads in our areas are cleaned, there is no sanitation system in the streets, neighborhoods and small areas. The private garbage collector charges Rs200 to Rs500 per month from each household. We are not getting any benefit from this project, which appears operational only in government advertisements,' lamented the locals. According to information available to the Express Tribune, the outsourced Suthra Punjab program is a long-term project costing more than Rs190 billion. Under this project, garbage is to be collected from the doorsteps of citizens across all cities of Punjab. In this regard, the government has also implemented a garbage tax. However, in Lahore, despite a budget of Rs20 billion, door-to-door garbage collection has been initiated in residential areas from only 100 out of 274 union councils due to the unavailability of machinery, inattention of officers and other reasons. Moreover, the deadline for garbage collection across all 274 union councils, set for March 30th, could not be met either. According to Mian Sohail Hanif Bhandara, an urban planner, the government has started the Suthra Punjab project without an effective strategy hence more than four months have passed yet the results are yet to been seen. 'The garbage collection operation has been outsourced after dividing urban and rural areas. Due to this distinction, cleaning is done on a daily basis in a few areas, while some areas are cleaned weekly and others do not even have an effective sanitation system. If the government had started phase-wise work on the project, effective results would have been seen. Unless the solid waste companies, in collaboration with the municipality and corporation, formulate an effective plan for garbage collection, the Suthra Punjab project will not be fruitful,' assessed Bhandara. Chief Executive Officer Lahore Solid Waste Management Company (LWMC) Babar Sahib Deen claimed that on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the Suthra Punjab program was successfully underway to provide garbage collection services in rural areas as it is provided in cities. 'Several complaints have been received regarding non-collection of garbage in some areas of Lahore, and these complaints are being addressed,' said Deen.
Express Tribune
30-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
FBR misses target by Rs833b
Listen to article The tax shortfall has ballooned to a staggering Rs833 billion in the first 10 months of the fiscal year, despite the government imposing record additional taxes and reducing refunds. Pakistan's tax chief, Rashid Langrial, as Pakistan's tax chief Rashid Langrial warned that the new budget will also challenging in terms of achieving targets. The shortfall exceeded the limit set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by over Rs190 billion. Last month, the IMF acknowledged that the annual target of Rs12.97 trillion was unattainable and subsequently revised it. Only in the month of April, the government added around Rs139 billion in tax shortfall, breaching commitment to the IMF that the shortfall against the original annual target will not be more than Rs640 billion. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) provisionally collected Rs9.3 trillion in taxes till end of April, falling short of the target by Rs833 billion, according to its provisional figures. The collection was still around 27% or Rs1.95 trillion higher than the previous fiscal year but not enough to stay on track. In terms of collecting taxes, this and the next fiscal year will be tough, admitted the chairman FBR before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance on Wednesday. He further said that this would leave little space for giving any relief in taxes in the budget. "But we are reducing taxes on the salaried class in the budget," said Chairman FBR without disclosing the quantum of relief. As of the end of March, the salaried class paid a record Rs391 billion in taxes, which were 56% or Rs140 billion more than the last year and 1420% higher than the taxes paid by the traders. The FBR sustained a whopping Rs833 billion shortfalls despite putting Rs1.3 trillion additional burdens in the last budget and it even did not spare the milk despite Pakistan being a nutrition deficient nation. The Pakistan Dairy Association (PDA), the representative body of packaged milk producers, on Wednesday sought the intervention of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance, to reduce the 18% sales tax on package milk that increased prices by up to Rs70 per litre. The PDA demanded to reduce the tax to 5% but the chairman FBR said that the IMF generally does not allow a reduction in sales tax rate but the government will consider the proposal in the budget. The standing committee recommended reducing the sales tax on package milk, as it was the highest tax rate on milk in the world. There has been over emphasis on increasing taxes, which has shifted the focus away from growing expenditures that are increasing at 24% pace during the current fiscal year, despite low single digit inflation. The Prime Minister has doubled the size of his cabinet, added more departments in an already bloated size of the government and approved to increase salaries of the cabinet members. For the month of April, the FBR's set target was Rs983 billion. However, despite taking advances and slowing refunds, it could collect only Rs844 billion. The FBR paid Rs43 billion in refunds equal to April last year despite collections growing by 29% on a monthly basis. Overall, the 10-month refund payments amounted to Rs428 billion Rs5 billion more than the last year. The IMF compelled the country to impose new taxes, primarily burdening the salaried class and levying taxes on nearly all consumable goods, including medical tests, stationery, vegetables, and children's milk. For the July-April period, the FBR missed its targets for sales tax, federal excise duty, and customs duty but again exceeded the income tax target on the back of over burdening the salaried class. According to the details, income tax collection amounted to Rs4.48 trillion during the first 10 months of this fiscal year, Rs325 billion more than the target. It was also Rs973 billion more than the last year. The burden was shared by the salaried class and the corporate sector, as the retailers and landlords still remained under taxed. Sales tax collection stood at Rs3.17 trillion, whopping Rs775 billion less than the target of over Rs3.95 trillion. The sales tax remained the most difficult area for the FBR and one of the reasons for low collection was less than estimated growth in large industries. The government had immensely increased the sales tax burden in the budget. However, the collection was Rs677 billion more than the last year. The FBR collected Rs602 billion in federal excise duty, Rs157 billion less than the target. But it was Rs149 billion higher than last year. Customs duty collection stood at Rs1.05 trillion, Rs228 billion below the target. The collection is hit by lower-than projected import volumes. It is also marred by manipulation of the goods declaration forms by the importers in connivance with the corrupt elements. It was Rs190 billion more than the last year. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Customs Officers' Association, in a general body meeting, condemned the growing trend of publicly targeting Customs officials without due process. It stressed that accountability must follow legal procedures, rejected media trials, and called for fair recognition of Customs' sacrifices and challenges in combating smuggling.
Express Tribune
21-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Traders defy official sugar price
The Kiryana Merchants Association (KMA) has rejected the government's newly set ex-mill, wholesale, and retail sugar prices, calling them unrealistic and demanding a reasonable wholesale price. The association has sought a profit margin of Rs15 per kilogramme after covering costs. According to the association, sugar is not available anywhere in the city at the wholesale rate of Rs159 per kg. Due to the lack of checks and balances, sugar is being sold for Rs180 per kg in the open market. The association's president, Saleem Parvez Butt, and provincial secretary-general Rizwan Shaukat, explained that the ex-mill price of sugar is Rs159 per kg. After factoring in transportation costs, the price of sugar from the mills to the Rawalpindi district comes to Rs165.50 per kg at the wholesale level. Due to factors like labour, loading, unloading, packaging, and weight discrepancies, sugar costs Rs168 per kg for local grocers, he said and questioned how they could sell sugar at Rs164 per kg when they are buying it at Rs168. This is impossible. Butt urged the Deputy Commissioner (DC) to calculate the actual expenses from the ex-mills price to the retail shops in the Rawalpindi district and set the price accordingly. To do this, a joint meeting of the district administration, the price control committee, wholesale dealers, and the KMA should be convened to determine the real price of sugar. If this is not done, the association could halt both wholesale and retail sugar sales. The association warned that sugar mills and the administration could sell sugar directly, but the wholesalers would stop the open market sales altogether. In the city centre, sugar is being sold for Rs180 per kg, while in surrounding areas, it has reached Rs190 per kg.
Express Tribune
02-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
GDA properties sealed over tax default
Teams conducted raids and the properties of tax defaulters were sealed. CREATIVE COMMONS The excise and taxation department has sealed 131 commercial properties of the Gujranwala Development Authority (GDA) over default in payment of Rs190 million. According to Excise Director Sobia Malik, the department had issued notices to the GDA for the payment of dues, but to no avail. However, GDA Estate Officer Mirza Shah Zaman claimed that the excise and taxation department had made incorrect assessments and sealed the shops unjustly. He said the GDA had referred the matter to senior officials. The GDA had rented out shops and offices, generating millions in annual revenue, but had not paid taxes to the department. Over the past 10 years, Rs190 million in commercial property tax has remained unpaid. The department informed higher authorities and proceeded to seal the commercial properties. The director said Gujranwala ranked first in Punjab for tax recovery, motor vehicle registration and challan collection, and recovery of dues from the GDA was part of the effort. The GDA estate officer claimed that the excise department had acted hastily. He said the GDA had been directed by court to approach the excise department for resolution of matters but had not been granted relief.
