ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Finance on Thursday reviewed the Tax Laws (Third Amendment) Bill, 2021 and recommended with a majority vote a number of recommendations, including the one rejecting the suggestion to disconnect gas and electricity connections of those traders who failed to register for sales tax.

The committee, which met under chairmanship of Talha Mehmood of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, also rejected the new insertion of 14 per cent tax on import of re-meltable scrap if imported by steel melters. According to a handout issued by the Senate Secretariat, the chairman of the committee directed that a letter be written to the authority concerned to seek an answer as to from where the proposal had actually come.

The amendment also gives powers to the tax authorities to disable mobile phones or mobile phone SIMs and issue income tax general order in respect of persons who do not appear on the active taxpayers list (ATL), which was also rejected by a majority vote.

The committee also rejected the omission of the prosecution for unauthorised disclosure of information by a public servant.

The amendment about additional advance tax from professionals not appearing on the ATL and operating from residential premises was also rejected by the committee.

“It’s a way of harassment,” said Senator Mohsin Aziz of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2021