Senate body expresses dissatisfaction over non grant of tax exemption to erstwhile FATA

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction over the non implementation of decision to grant tax exemption to erstwhile FATA.

The committee which met here under the chairmanship of Senator Taj Muhammad Afridi was attended by Senators, Hilal-ur-Rehman, Sajjad Hussain Turi, Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasir, Najma Hameed and other senior officials of the ministry and relevant departments.

Senator Aurangzeb Orakzai while expressing his concern said despite declaring FATA tax free, the tax on electricity bills was also being charged which was total injustice to the people of the area.

To improve matters pertaining to Governor Model School South Waziristan, the committee also summoned the secretary education and officials of FATA secretariat in the next meeting.

Tribal Electric Supply Company (TESCO) officials informed the committee that FATA owed to pay Rs 2 billion, saying that unless electricity bills were not cleared the department could not move forward.

The committee has sought a detailed report with correct figures from Ministry of Finance, State Bank and Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) in order to provide maximum relief to the farmers of the tribal areas.

Traders from erstwhile FATA also informed the committee about their problems.