FBR denies duty-free import of armoured cars

Govt allows retd military officers ranked lieutenant general and above duty free import of bulletproof vehicles

ISLAMABAD:

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Saturday denied reports that it had issued a notification allowing the import of bulletproof vehicles without paying any taxes or duties.

Taking to Twitter, it added that the federal cabinet had indeed made such a decision in 2019, but the bureau did not notify it yet.

It was reported a day earlier that the federal government had given conditional permission to military officers of the rank of lieutenant general and above on retirement to import bulletproof vehicles of up to 6,000CC without paying taxes and customs duties.

A notification issued by the FBR stated that retired lieutenant generals, army chiefs, chairpersons joint chiefs of staff and committee services chiefs would be exempted from all taxes when importing bulletproof vehicles of up to 6,000CC including customs duty, sales tax, withholding tax and federal excise duty.

Retired army chiefs, chairpersons joint chief of staff committee, service chiefs and all other four-star generals would be able to import two vehicles. However, retired lieutenant generals would be able to order one bulletproof vehicle.

The retired military top brass would not be able to sell these vehicles for five years conditional to prior approval from the FBR.

In case they sell these vehicles before the completion of the five-year period, they would have to pay all the exempted taxes.

To import these vehicles without paying taxes, the retired military officials would require the recommendation of the defence ministry.

They would also have to meet the conditions of airport policy order issued by the commerce ministry.

According to FBR officers, the military personnel would have to apply for these vehicles one year prior to their retirement according to the procedure.

The development came as the PTI is bracing for its second long march to Islamabad to overthrow the incumbent government.

The Islamabad police have asked Punjab IGP Faisal Shahkar to provide them with more personnel to deal with the possible long march of the PTI.

It is being said that Shahkar’s decision to give personnel to the Islamabad police would determine the direction of his loyalty towards the federal or Punjab government.

Sources said Islamabad police have called for 10,000 cops from Punjab to maintain public order.

The Punjab police currently have around 10,000 additional personnel.

The sources added that the Punjab police have more than 25,000 constabulary personnel. In addition, more than 15,000 cops are deployed across the province with VVIPs and to cope with emergency situations.

Shahkar would decide whether to send the additional personnel or not after consultation with the provincial government.

The Punjab IGP and Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar have developed differences with each other over the dealing and registration of cases of political nature.

Shahkar has reportedly resisted following the orders of the registration of the recent cases against PML-N leaders.

He also had denounced the Punjab government’s instructions to register cases against policemen and officers over the May 25 torture incidents and use of force to stop the earlier PTI long march.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet Secretariat’s Establishment Division issued orders of the Lahore CCPO’s transfer from his post.

However, the Punjab government asked him to continue working as the CCPO until further orders.

The PML-N-led coalition federal government was annoyed with Dogar for the registration of a recent case under terrorism charges against party leaders Javed Latif and Marriyum Aurangzeb.

The federal government was also frustrated over multiple raids at the houses of PML-N leaders in connection with the chaos at the Punjab Assembly during the election for the chief minister’s slot.

Shahkar has also developed differences with the Punjab government over the posting of many senior police officers.