LAHORE, Feb 2: PML-N Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal criticised on Friday the ECC’s decision to grant a 40-year tax exemption to the proposed operators of Gwadar Port, saying it would provide the operators with an opportunity to skim billions of dollars in profits.

Talking to reporters here, he said the decision had proved that people of Balochistan were right in their assertions that the mega project was not in the interest of the country’s most backward province.

When all taxes stood waived, what would Balochistan get from the project, he asked.

He disputed the validity of the decision, saying no exemption could be granted after the award of the contract. Had the government announced it before the bidding, some other company could have agreed to an exemption for a much less period.

Ahsan Iqbal, who was the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, said the ECC decision was a mega scandal of which the Supreme Court should take a suo motu notice.

If the apex court could take a notice of the kite-flying, it should also look into this scandal, he said.

Replying to a question, the PML-N leader said the multi-party conference would be held in March and differences with the PPP on various issues would be settled in the near future.