News
Saturday, June 22, 2013
NA opp in joint protest against enhanced GST* MQM, PPPP and PTI boycott proceedings twice against the killing of MQM workers in Karachi
* Govt defends levy of increased GST
By Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: The controversial implementation of the increased GST triggered a strong combined opposition protest in the National Assembly on Friday which staged a token walkout against the “unjust” act of the government to charge the enhanced GST before the passage of finance bill by parliament.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) joined the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to boycott the proceedings of the House twice against the killing of MQM workers in Karachi. First, at the start of the session they staged a token walkout and at the fag end they boycotted the House proceedings after Deputy Parliamentary Leader Rasheed Godil deplored the perceived indifference of the federal and provincial governments against the killing.
The House, supposed to wind up the budget debate, could not do it after Finance Minister Ishaq Dar offered to put off the wind-up speech on the budget when opposition parties insisted that it should be deferred before they go through the recommendations of Senate on the budget. At the onset, treasury sides faced a hard time at the hands of opposition parties which registered a joint protest against the implementation of the increased GST and questioned the legality of the budget document after the Supreme Court struck down the one percent hike in GST.
The government side sans the finance minister, who was not present in the first session of the proceedings, tried hard to convince the opposition that it would abide by the court’s decision and believed that charging of increased GST before the passage of the finance bill under Sales Act 1931 is not a new phenomenon and has been practiced in the past. “Even in the last PPP government, this provision of act was invoked four times and we didn’t do a illegal act,” Law Minister Zahid Hamid said and declared that the government would, however, act upon the court’s verdict.
“It is a serious matter. After apex court decision, all the benchmark figures of the budget would change and government should explain it in plain words to the House,” PTI’s Deputy Parliamentary Leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said and demanded that the House proceedings should be adjourned until the government gives its position it. Opposition leader Khursheed Shah also backed Qureshi. He said, “When parliament pointed out it nobody heeded to it and now the court has given its decision against it.”
“We should give respect to this parliament,” Shah said and asked how would the government refund the amount to consumers who have been charged increased GST since June 13. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar who turned up in the House in its second session also announced to follow the verdict of the court, however, he contended that no illegal step has been taken by the government.
The Karachi-based MQM, whose MPA was killed on Friday by gunmen, forcefully raised the issue of killing of its workers and lawmakers. Party’s Rasheed Godil mourned the killing of the MPA and asked why were MQM leaders and workers being killed by gangsters. “Are we Urdu speaking not Pakistanis whose forefathers sacrificed for the creation of this country,” he questioned before walking out of the House as a mark of protest against.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk