Under the reforms taking concrete shape, the tax regime that uses the tax policy as a tool to maximise revenue at the expense of investment and growth is being revamped. This follows tariff policy announced recently to ensure that tariffs would be used as an instrument of trade policy rather than revenue generation.
If implemented in letter and spirit, these reforms would meet the long-standing demand of businesses who complained that tax policies are revenue-driven rather than growth-oriented. Sustained appropriate measures would be needed, as demonstrated in the case of construction and real estate sectors, to spur manufacturing which contributes the lion’s share of direct tax revenue and exports.
The Punjab government on Monday assured the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that it will adhere to the schedule of local government polls despite the issuance of Punjab Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance 2021
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has proposed conduct of coming local government (LG) elections across the country in three phases in view of the four-time larger magnitude of the exercise as compared to general polls, according to informed sources.
Sharing details of a series of meetings of the commission on conduct of LG polls held earlier this week, the sources told Dawn that all the provinces still wanted to delay the polls on the pretext of their intention to make substantive changes in the local government laws.
The sources said the participants, including provincial ministers and senior bureaucrats, were told that the total number of constituencies for National and provincial assemblies came to 849, whereas the number of constituencies for LG polls in Punjab alone was 25,000.