Sindh will get right to collect GST on services: Qaim

KARACHI - Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has said that Sindh is fully confident to get the right of collecting General Sales Tax (GST) on services as the clause supporting it is part of the new NFC award. He said the Tax has been acknowledged as a provincial subject in the Award. He was addressing a Press conference at CM House on Thursday. He said the provinces have no objection Federal Govts levying of Value Added Tax (VAT) on goods. Sindh will succeed in getting rights of GST on services and the inclusion of some of the important parts which are missing in the present NFC document, he hoped. Qaim that the traders have assured the government to close the markets at 8:30pm adding the Energy Conservation plan would be beneficial for country. He said it was possible that the target killings might be politically motivated adding that the investigation was underway to trace the murderers. He informed the newsmen that government would establish a separate department to eliminate the menace of land-grabbing. Legislation for this new department has been completed in this regard. Replying to a question, he said Sindh government did not believe in political victimisation and hence it would not take any action against any politician including Arbab Ghulam Raheem over his harsh statements against the PPP leadership. However, an investigation was in process against the former CM Arbab Ghulam Rahim for alleged illegal allotment of State land to the people during his tenure, Qaim added. Qaim also welcomed the former district naib nazim of Thatta district Iqbal Chandio who joined the Pakistan Peoples Party on Thursday. To a question about the investigation against the PML-F-backed former district naizm of Matyari, he replied that former DCO and other officials had been found involved in the irregularities in funds usage, while the investigation was continued against the nazim as well. About the delay in holding of local government elections, CM said that all the allies had agreed to make new local government law 2010. Some allies have agreed to retain the majority portions of 1979 local government law, while some have different views on it which is causing the delay to reach any consensus, Qaim observed. He said government would take all the parties on board on the new law as they govt believed in strengthening the system. He also said that the government had received complaints about the distribution of wheat bardana (gunny bags) and the required procedure was underway.