KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet, which met at the Sindh Assembly building with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in the chair on Monday, decided to collect tax on agricultural income and amend the Sindh Arms Act, allowing people to keep more than four weapons.

Briefing the media about the decisions the cabinet took, Provincial Information, Transport and Labour Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said the cabinet took serious notice of the reports that certain private schools were collecting hefty fees from students for the months of summer vacations, thus overburdening the parents, and decided to initiate action against them.

He added that the cabinet deputed education minister, education secretary and other officers concerned to investigate the reports of collection of additional fees for the summer vacations.

In reply to a question, Mr Shah said tax would be collected on the agricultural income from 50 acres of land or on the annual income of over Rs1.2 million.

He further said the cabinet proposed changes to the Arms Act. “Now a person can possess as many weapons as he or she likes,” he added.

Besides, he said, the cabinet also extended the date till December 2018 for computerisation of arms licences.

While giving an explanation, the minister said the federal government had allocated a major share of its budget to Punjab and that was why progress was visible there in the social sector.

Regarding the caretaker set-up in Sindh, he brushed aside the reports of any meeting between the chief minister and the leader of the opposition which he said had not been held so far.

He maintained that the names for the caretaker chief minister were not final.

Mr Shah further said the bills which had not been signed by Governor Muham­mad Zubair and were returned were once again approved by the cabinet.

Talking about his party, he said the PPP had always supported democracy and would never be part of any undemocratic or unconstitutional move.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2018