The government is ready to pay duties and taxes on the import of 10 Mercedes Benz to be used by the prime minister. The vehicles are being imported keeping in view the security reasons. Sources told Business Recorder here on Thursday that the Cabinet Division is making necessary arrangements with the concerned departments for purchase of these vehicles from Germany.
The prime minister has directed the Cabinet Division to immediately purchase 10 Mercedes Benz S 600 L protected cars to be used during VVIPs movement in view of the current security situation in the country.
Accordingly, the Cabinet Division has placed order for 10 luxury cars with the manufacturer Daimler Chrysler, Germany. Due to shortage of time the vehicles are being airlifted from Germany to Lahore and would be transported to Islamabad by road. The first three cars would arrive on November 12, while the remaining seven cars would arrive either in Karachi or Lahore in January 2005.
The sources said that the Finance Division had already provided funds through supplementary grant for the payment of duties and taxes on these vehicles.
The Finance Division has asked the tax authorities to issue necessary instructions to the relevant collectorates of customs in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi for release of vehicles and subsequent submission of the assessed duties and taxes to the Cabinet Division for issuance of cheque to the CBR through AGPR Islamabad.