KARACHI, Jan 9: Sindh has suggested to the federal government to abolish existing system of Motor Vehicle Tax (MVT) and replaced it with an ad valorem fuel-based levy.

“In this regard discussions with the federal government are underway and hopefully the issue will be finalized soon,” Provincial Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said at a seminar held here on Wednesday. The seminar on “Impact of foreign loans on the development of Sindh province” was organized by the Rotary Club Karachi at a local hotel.

He said that introduction of ad valorem fuel-based levy would enhance revenue receipts and provide a more buoyant source of future revenue from this sector.

The performance of successive governments in Sindh was worst, specially during the last decade, he observed and added that decisions taken by them failed to produce desired results for the province and only enhanced its expenditures manifold.

Terming the province a “graveyard of new schemes”, he referred to a number of schemes initiated in 90s but left incomplete burdening the government exchequer. “Every successive government introduced new schemes but had to quit before its completion. They were thousands in number,” he said.

“Department of Rural Development, Sindh Coal Development Authority and Sindh Arid Zone Development Authority are some of the major organizations which had failed,” he said.

The minister also spoke about the Academy of Teachers Training established by the former administration and expressed surprise that not a single class was held in that academy.

The minister also lamented mismanagement in the disbursement of salaries. He expressed dissatisfaction over the distribution of funds by the then federal government and termed it a gross injustice to the Sindh government.—PPI