PM asks economic team to cut indirect taxes

Imran orders rationalisation of administrative expenditures on wheat procurement

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday directed the government's economic team to suggest out-of-box solutions to reducing burden of indirect taxes on the people, and at the same time, ensure a balance between the state revenues and expenditures.

Chairing a meeting regarding the steps being taken to bring down the prices of essential commodities, the prime minister also directed Finance Minister Dr Hafeez Sheikh to minutely look into wheat procurement process and various administrative costs that were contributing towards raising its price.

“Every effort should be made to lessen the burden of indirect taxes and provide relief to the people,” the prime minister told the meeting, adding that his foremost priority was to provide maximum relief to the poor segments of society.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers, advisers, special assistants to the prime minister (SAPMs) and senior government officials, said a press release issued by the Prime Minister Office’s Media Wing here said.

During the meeting, Dr Sheikh told the prime minister that a comprehensive and efficient plan was being prepared for wheat procurement, adding that rationalisation of the administrative costs was involved in the process.

SAPM Dr Waqar Masood briefed the prime minister about the duty structure for imported edible oil and pulses etc. The prime minister stressed that every single penny, being spent on unnecessary administrative expenditures, must be saved.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)