KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday told the Sindh Assembly that his government will not collect tax for the federal government from the new fiscal year 2020-21.

Giving a policy statement on an adjournment motion tabled by the ruling PPP's legislator, Syed Zulfiqar Shah on the threats from locusts and the grave crops situation in Sindh, Murad said that he has also ordered the Sindh Excise Minister to inform the federal government that the PPP government will not collect tax for it.

He said that the federal government ha empowered the Sindh government to collect the tax by itself under the provisions of the Constitution, adding that his government will not collect tax from the current fiscal year. He also criticized the federal government for 'destroying' the public. He also called the petroleum levy "Unconstitutional".

He said that the locust attack on crops will undermine the food prospects, adding that the locusts attack on crops is a "food" security issue, as that has not affected only the farmers. He told the lawmakers that locusts are a global problem, as their fresh wave is expected in July from Iran.

Chief Minister Sindh said that the National Action Plan says that the NDMA is now the authority, which has been handed over "everything". He questioned that what a role then has left for the Plant Protection Department to do, saying that the Sindh government has met with nearly 1100 complaints regarding the locusts' attack. He said that the government is monitoring the locusts' presence on a taluka level.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020

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