CPEC windfall: Gilgit-Baltistan mulls environment tax

CM Hafeezur Rehman says they will introduce legislation to impose the levy

GILGIT: In its bid to generate extra funds from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) government is planning to introduce an ‘environment tax’ on transporters.

“This environment tax will help us boost our revenue,” G-B Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman told reporters late on Sunday.



However, the move is easier said than done and the G-B government will have to legislate to introduce the new tax. “We will soon make laws [for it],” Rehman asserted, while adding that the revenue would be spent on environmental rehabilitation.



A similar idea was floated by a Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) senator in a meeting that members of the Senate had in G-B with local legislators to get firsthand information about CPEC. The delegation was headed by Senator Taj Haider of the Pakistan Peoples Party.

“Details of how to impose this tax will be sorted out with the help of legal and environmental experts,” said another G-B government official.



Environmentalists have said that the mountainous region will suffer due to increase in vehicular traffic after the completion of the project. “Besides omission of gases and dust, noise and noise pollution will also add to the destruction of the environment,” said Ahmad Amir, an activist.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2016.