Supplementary finance bill 2021-22 will not increase burden on people says Finance Minister Tareen

Shaukat Tareen said opposition mistaken in its criticism of mini-budget

Federal Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen has said that Talk of increased burden on people due to the supplementary finance bill is unfounded. Addressing a joint press conference, flanked by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib, finance minister said that tax revision worth Rs343 billion has been revised in the bill.

Sharing details of the supplementary finance bill, which was unveiled by the minister in the National Assembly before the press conference, he said that a Rs70 billion rebate included taxes on luxury and business items including imported fish, high-end bakery items, expensive cheese and imported bicycles.

Tax exemptions worth Rs2 billion will be removed from items of general use like personal computers, sewing machines, matchboxes, iodised salt, red chillies, and contraceptives.

“If we expect inflation to increase because of the imposition of tax on these items then they the opposition are mistaken,” he said, adding that this is the “crux of the supplementary finance bill. The agreement with the IMF is not just a matter of $1 billion.”

“The Opposition has been spreading rumours regarding an increase in inflation because of the finance bill,” the finance minister said. He said that no sales tax will be imposed on fertiliser, imported second-hand clothes and cinema equipment.

Shedding light on the conditions of the IMF, Tarin said that the Fund wants them to impose sales tax "on all items". He, however, reiterated the government’s revision will only mean an imposition of taxes worth Rs2 billion.

 “We are increasing taxes on luxury cars," he said, adding that the Fund has not imposed any conditions regarding increasing taxes on vehicles.

He said that the Pakistan’s inflation based on consumer price index (CPI) clocked in at 11.5% in November 2021. “Inflation in the US and UK also surged to record highs, so if I have failed have Joe Biden and Boris Johnson also failed?” he asked.

The minister also asked that if prices of edible oil in the international market are increasing he should stop importing the essential commodity, or if the price of coal is rising the government should stop importing that as well. Tarin assured the media that prices of medicines will go down.

                                                                    Rukhsana Manzoor Deputy Editor