After introducing a tax amnesty scheme, the PTI government is considering to initiate a similar program to owners of NCP (Non Custom Paid) smuggled vehicles in some parts of the country, according to The Express Tribune.
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This was discussed in a Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday. Revenue Minister of K-P, Shakil Ahmed briefed the Prime Minister on tax collection in the province, and pointed out that hundreds of thousands of non-customs paid smuggled vehicles were in use in Malakand Division and the former tribal districts. The minister recommended the government to provide a one-time amnesty scheme to their owners.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, upon hearing the suggestion, informed participants that the government has decided to extend an amnesty scheme for non-customs paid vehicles in all merged tribal districts, Malakand Division and Balochistan.
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According to another high official, who participated in the meeting, public agitation has made it difficult for authorities to carry out action against non-customs paid vehicles, even though the residents of merged tribal districts and Malakand were given a 5-year exemption in taxes.
The official said the government has prepared a gradual tax collection program for these areas to improve revenue generation, but non-customs paid vehicles remain a big stumbling block. More than 500,000 such vehicle are on the roads of Malakand alone, a senior K-P finance department official said, citing official statistics.
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This will not be the first time an amnesty scheme is introduced for smuggled vehicles. The PPP government ran a month-long scheme back in March 2013 which resulted in the registration of 34,000 non-customs paid vehicles all over the country. The government was able to generate Rs 10 billion in resulting customs duty payments.
From The Express Tribune
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