ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday decided to not enhance Central Excise Duty (CED) on raw material being imported by industrialists in the Federally Administered tribal Areas (Fata) and Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (Pata) mainly to encourage industrial and commercial activities in the tribal region.

A source who attended the meeting said that the cabinet decided to maintain almost 15 per cent CED on import of raw material in Fata and Pata and rejected the proposal to increase it to 22pc.

He said a proposal was placed before the cabinet suggesting that CED of 22pc be levied on industrial material across the country but concession be granted to both Fata and Pata to encourage commercial activities there. The raw material is imported for manufacturing edible oil, vegetable ghee and cooking oil in mills in Fata and Pata.

The cabinet ordered that the issue of rationalisation of taxes across the country be considered at the time of formulation of budget proposals.

The meeting also approved placement of draft “Limitation relating to Civil Revision Bill, 2018” before parliament.

The cabinet also approved amendments in the Rules of Business, 1973. The amendments pertain to inclusion of Haj and Umrah Directorate as an attached department of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, and the National Language Promotion Department and National Library of Pakistan as attached departments of the National History and Literary Heritage Division. The inclusion of the Pakistan Halal Authority in the list of departments attached to Science & Technology Division was also approved.

The National Fertilizer Development Centre (NFDC) was transferred from the Ministry of Planning, Development & Reforms to the Ministry of National Food Security & Research and corresponding amendments made in the rules of business were approved.

The cabinet also approved transfer of the Pakistan Environmental Planning & Architectural Consultant Ltd from Climate Change Division to Planning, Development & Reforms Division.

Approval was accorded for placement of the Institute of Science and Technology Bahawalpur Bill, 2018 before the parliament.

The constitution of a search committee for appointment of the vice-chancellor of the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad, was approved by the cabinet.

Approval was also accorded for signing of an MoU between the Pakistan Academy of Letters and Nepal Academy, Nepal. Areas of cooperation include mutual exchanges of writers, poets and intellectuals.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2018