Thursday, 2 September, 2021
ISLAMABAD
NEWS
03
fBr will achieve aNNual tax collectioN target coMfortaBly: pM
p
NewS DeSk
RIME Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that he is optimistic that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will “comfortably achieve” the annual tax collection target of Rs5.82 trillion following the authority’s collection of Rs850 billion during the first two months of the current fiscal year (2MFY22). The FBR exceeded the assigned twomonth target of Rs690 billion by over 23 per cent. Taking to Twitter in this regard, the premier said this reflects the growth of 51pc
in revenue over the same period last year. “At the present rate, annual collection target of Rs5,829bn will be comfortably achieved InshaAllah,” said the prime minister. In a media briefing on Tuesday, FBR Chairman Dr Mohammad Ashfaq Ahmed had informed that FBR collected Rs434bn in August, which is Rs85bn more than the target of Rs349bn. He said that FBR released Rs364bn refunds besides getting Rs4,721bn revenue in FY21. “FBR has also created Rs2,600bn demands against the big business through audits,” Ashfaq added.
“Our and the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) destination is the same. The IMF had instructed to impose new taxes and abolish exemptions whereas we have not imposed new taxes and will achieve the tax target to run the economy,” he said. He mentioned that they are in close coordination with the World Bank on the implementation of reforms. About reforms in FBR, he said that Pakistan has established 16 reform commissions; however, there is a dire need for restructuring instead of reforms. “We want to do better for the country and will improve the tax system”.
Qureshi warns int’l community against abandoning Afghanistan ISLAMABAD aPP
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday cautioned the West of serious consequences of abandoning Afghanistan, which could result in civil war and economic collapse. In an interview with Sky News, the foreign minister urged the international community to engage with Taliban as otherwise Afghanistan could descend into another chaos He said: “It will give space to the organisations we all dread; the international terrorist organisations that we do not want their footprint to grow in Afghanistan.” “That’s a dangerous option. That’s an option of abandonment of Afghan people,” he said, adding such mistake was committed during 90s. Qureshi urged the international community not to repeat the same mistake again. To a query regarding withdrawal of foreign forces, Qureshi said that there was a failure to listen to Pakistan’s concerns as the withdrawal process was not “responsible or orderly”. Pakistan was persistently emphasising that peace
and dialogue processes and withdrawal of foreign forces should be simultaneously carried out, he added. The foreign minister termed the initial statements from the Taliban leadership as positive and encouraging, adding the West should test them to make sure they were true to their word. He expressed the hope that Taliban would act responsibly. “They should have learned from their mistakes,” he said, adding “And I think the attitude and the approach they are taking, is reflective of a different approach.” “If they’re sensible, they should, in my view, respect international opinion and international norms,” he further added. The minister opined that Afghans would need humanitarian and financial assistance, otherwise, there would be an economic collapse. The foreign minister to a question maintained that baseless allegations had always been levelled against Pakistan regarding Taliban. Taliban were present in Afghanistan, they were leading Doha talks and had been in control of forty to forty-five per cent of Afghanistan prior to their takeover, he added. Qureshi said Pakistan had been hosting millions of Afghan refugees on its soil for the last four decades.
Govt committed to improve business environment: Alvi ISLAMABAD TLTP
President Dr Arif Alvi has said that steps are being taken to improve the business environment of the country by providing various incentives and facilities to the business community. The president expressed these views while talking to a delegation of the Haripur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI), which led by its President Shahbaz Majeed Sheikh. President Alvi said that the economy of the country is heading in the right direction that reflects the confidence of the business community in the economic policies of the government. He said that the business
community is playing a significant role in the economic development of the country and a number of steps have been taken to facilitate them, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. He added that the government, despite tough financial constraints, had provided a financial stimulus package worth Rs1.2 trillion to protect the business community and underprivileged strata of society from the adverse impacts of the pandemic. The president highlighted that the country’s exports have also witnessed a significant surge which have reached $25.3 billion during the last fiscal year. He expressed satisfaction over the economic performance of the country, saying that the collection of Rs850 billion by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR),
exceeding the target by Rs160 billion, during the first two months of the current fiscal year is a testament that the economic health of the country is improving. He said that the government is focusing on creating an optimum business environment and due to its efforts, Pakistan’s rank in the Ease of Doing Business Index has improved from 136th to 108th position. The president also appreciated the role of HCCI and the business community in the national development and assured them of all possible support to help address their problems. Earlier, Shahbaz Majeed Sheikh apprised President Alvi of the role being played by the chamber in the economic development of the country. The delegation also briefed the president about certain problems being faced by HCCI.
Pakistan frets over security threats from Afghanistan ISLAMABAD reuTers
There is growing concern among officials in Pakistan about security in neighbouring Afghanistan, as the Taliban tries to form a government and stabilise the country following the departure of the US and other foreign forces. Islamabad is particularly worried about militant fighters from Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, a separate, proscribed Afghanistan-based militant group, crossing from Afghanistan and launching lethal attacks on its territory. Thousands of people have been killed in Pakistan in militant violence in the last two decades. Underlining the security threat within Afghanistan, in the last few days, a suicide bombing claimed by an Afghan offshoot of Islamic State outside Kabul airport killed more than 100 people, including 13 US troops. A rocket attack on the airport followed, and on Sunday militant gunfire from across the border in Afghanistan killed two soldiers in Balochistan. “The next two to three months are critical,” a senior
Pakistan official said, adding that Islamabad feared a rise in militant attacks along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, as the Taliban tried to fill a vacuum left by the collapse of Afghan forces and the Western-backed administration. “We [the international community] have to assist the Taliban in reorganising their army in order for them to control their territory,” the source added, referring to the threat posed by resurgent rival militant groups, including Islamic State. US officials have long accused Pakistan of supporting the Taliban which — after fighting the American proxy war against the Soviet Union — fought in a civil war in the mid-1990s before seizing power in 1996. Islamabad denies the charge. Pakistan has said that its influence over the movement has waned, particularly since the Taliban grew in confidence once Washington announced the date for the complete withdrawal of US and other foreign troops. The official, who has direct knowledge of the security decisions, said Pakistan planned to send security and intelligence officials, possibly even the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence, to Kabul to help
the Taliban reorganise their military. An Afghanistan Taliban spokesperson did not immediately respond to Reuters‘ requests for comment on security relations with Pakistan. PAKISTAN EXPECTS TALIBAN COOPERATION: Though recognition of a new Taliban government was not immediately on the table, the official said, the world should not abandon Afghanistan. “Whether we recognise the Taliban government or not, stability in Afghanistan is very important.” The official warned that Islamic State Khorasan (ISISK), a loosely affiliated offshoot of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, was actively looking to launch attacks and recruit new fighters. Left unhindered, it would almost certainly grow from relatively small numbers currently. The United States recently launched two drone strikes targeting ISIS-K militants, including one in Kabul and one near the eastern border with Pakistan. The strikes followed a pledge by President Joe Biden that the United States would hunt down the militants behind the recent suicide bombing.
Ncoc picks pfizer vaccine for under-18 youth ISLAMABAD inP
The National Command and Operation Centre on Wednesday issued new guidelines and chose the Pfizer vaccine for youth under 18. People with low immunity between the ages of 12 and 17 will receive the Pfizer vaccine, the NCOC clarified. The number of daily coronavirus infections and fatalities in Pakistan has been steady for some weeks hovering around 4,000 cases and 100 deaths with no signs of any let-up. NCOC head Asad Umar said that single-day vaccination crossed one and a half million for the first time. “Yesterday (Tuesday) 1.59 million vaccinations were carried out. Both first dose and second dose vaccinations yesterday were highest ever with 1 million 71 thousand and 519 thousand respectively,” he shared the news in a tweet.
ecp rejects pMl-N request to annul Sialkot by-election ISLAMABAD inP
A two-member bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan rejected the request of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz seeking to nullify the PP-38 by-election held in July. A neck and neck contest between the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and the PMLN on July 28 resulted in the win of the ruling candidate, Ahsan Saleem Baryar, who defeated the opposition candidate, Tariq Akhtar Subhani, by a margin of 7,000 votes. The seat had fallen vacant after the death of Subhani’s father, PML-N MPA Chaudhry Khush Akhtar Subhani. In a petition submitted to the body, Subhani sought a forensic audit of the ballot papers, counterfoils and biometrics used in the Sialkot constituency. He alleged there was a great difference in forms 45 and 46 and it showed rigging in the election. He said a thorough inspection of polling material was required and the thumb impressions on ballot papers and counterfoils were needed to be audited. Signatures of presiding and assistant presiding officers on forms 45 and 46 were also different casting doubts on the credibility of the polling, he claimed. Subhani said he had attached enough evidence in favour of his demand to open the record of ballot papers and counterfoils and it was his constitutional right to challenge the election within 60 days of the polling. He had urged the ECP to ensure justice and declare the election void.
