Centre supports KMC tax collection via power bills: CM

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has said that the federal government was supportive and helping to allow the K-Electric to collect two of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) taxes- fire and conservancy, through electricity bills.

"Some people who do not want to see the KMC reviving its financial strength are opposing it [the collection of KMC taxes through electricity bills] forgetting that the television licence fee is already being collected through electricity bills."

This he said while talking to the media at Mazar-ie-Quaid where he had come along with the Sindh Governor Imran Ismail to pay tribute to the Father of The Nation on his death anniversary.

Shah said that the KMC set a collection target of Fire Tax and Conservancy at Rs1 billion every year but it could hardly collect Rs250 million. "Therefore, it has worked out a plan to collect both the taxes by reducing their rate through electricity bills," he said and added "the KMC was not introducing any new tax but these were the old tax being collected."

Shah disclosed that he has talked to the Federal Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen and NEPRA chairman and they were very positive and assured their support and full cooperation.

To another question, the CM said that the provincial government would launch the Orange Line along with the federal government's Green Line project. "We are bringing 250 buses in the city but due to some technical issues the project lingered on and now a government agency has offered to procure the buses," he said.

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The chief minister, to a question, said that his government was ready to provide medical treatment to legend actor Umar Sharif. "Our Culture dept has already announced to provide medical treatment to Umer Sharif," he said.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said: "Today, at the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam we promise that we will do our best to achieve the goal for which this country was established," he said, adding "today, we cannot forget our Kashmiri brothers because Kashmir is an integral part and jugular vein of the Pakistan that Quaid-i-Azam had built."

Representatives of the Armed Forces, Rangers DG Major General Iftikhar Hassan Chaudhry and KMC Administrator Murtaza Wahab also visited the mausoleum of the founder of Pakistan. Quaid's family were given direct access to the tomb.

Medical board for Umar Sharif

Governor Ismail and Federal Minister for Information Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that a medical board would be constituted for the treatment of legendary comedian Umar Sharif.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2021.