Perk woes: ‘Restore teachers’ tax rebate’

LAHORE:  

The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) on Wednesday exhorted the government to grant tax relief to teachers in the forthcoming federal budget.  In a statement, the body demanded that the 75 per cent income tax rebate be restored in the budget. This had been slashed to 40 per cent by the government two years ago. FAPUASA functionaries said the rebate was the only facility extended to teachers for their services. While teachers had served in grades up to BPS-22, they said, they were not extended any of the perks enjoyed by other public servants of the same rank.  The FAPUASA functionaries said teachers were not taken into confidence when the federal government decided to slash the tax rebate. “We could have presented a rationale behind it,” they said.  FAPUASA central general secretary Mahboob Hussain had earlier directed all provincial chapters to release statements to disseminate its demand and make the government cognisant of it.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2016.