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| December 3, 2001 | Monday | Ramazan 17, 1422 |
Swat district govt decision rejected: Tax on non-customs-paid vehicles
MINGORA, Dec 2: The district government of Swat has decided to levy taxes on non-custom vehicles, but the provincial government is not ready to approve it on the pretext that the district government does not have the authority to take the decision.
A reliable source told Dawn here on Sunday that a high-level meeting of the district government had been held on Friday with Swat District Nazim Dr Mehboobur Rehman in the chair.
The meeting was attended by Naib Nazim Rafiul Mulk, alias Kaki Khan, the Swat SSP, the DCO, the finance EDO, the district law secretary, the Excise and Taxation Officer, officers of the armed forces and some other officials.
The meeting decided that the issue of the non-custom-paid vehicles was needed to be solved, and observed that only the district government could take any decision regarding the issue.
The district government decided to levy a tax of Rs3,000 on vehicles unto 1000CC, Rs5,000 from 1800 unto 2000CC vehicles, Rs35,000 on vehicles from the 2100 unto 2500CC and Rs50,000 on vehicles above 2500CC. The owners would be bound to pay the regular token fees as mentioned in the rules of the excise and taxation.
The office of the district council was specified for the new office of the staff and necessary equipment, like computers, were approved.
The sources said the officials representing the provincial government had opposed the decision as it was in violation of the rules of the provincial and federal government, but their objections had not been given any attention.
They quoted the Nazim as saying that the decision had been taken in the light of a resolution, adopted in the last session of the district assembly.
According to the sources, one month has been give for the imposition of the temporary registration tax (from Dec 1 to 31).
The provincial government was said to have rejected the decision soon after it had been faxed to the provincial headquarters on Friday.
The issue of the non-custom vehicles has remained unresolved for long. The federal government has time and again tried to impose the taxes on them, but due to some pressure from certain people with vested interests, the decision could not be implemented.
The number of the non-custom vehicles is increasing in the district day by day and there is no check on them from the authorities concerned.
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