NWFP E&T Department achieves 95 percent of target: minister

NWFP Minister for Excise and Taxation Liaqat Shabab has said that Excise and Taxation Department has made record recovery, despite recent wave of insurgency, and achieved 95 percent target set for the year 2008-09.
Talking to media here at Media Centre of Information Department, the other day, he said that Rs 1.3 billion recovery target has been given by the government and the department made recovery of Rs 62 millions which was a record, keeping in view the precarious law and order situation in the province.
He said that the department waived off entertainment Tax to facilitate the masses, while the procedure of residential challan has been simplified by introducing computer challan systems.
To further improve the performance of the department, 19 mobile squads, 100 Klashnikoves were being provided to the department while 12 Wireless Operators have been posted which would help strengthening provincial metropolis linkages with the districts while training has been imparted to hundreds of constables.
Moreover, a big complex will be established at Hayatabad. Liaqat Shabab also urged the Federal government to allow temporary registration of thousands of non-customs paid (NCP) vehicles plying in the Frontier province. "When we cannot stop these vehicles being used freely in major cities, what is wrong with their registration," he added.
He further said thousands of non-customs paid vehicles were plying in major cities, including the provincial capital, adding these should be registered as had been done during the Afghan war. The excise and taxation department, he said, had tried to do so, but its move was shot down for the reason the process involved the Federal Board of Revenue.
He said that the federal government had been approached in this regard and a special package, as announced by the Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza was also on the cards. He argued that temporary registration of such vehicles would generate additional revenue for the government and would also help maintain their record. After being allowed by the provincial government, displaced people of the Malakand division had brought with them to other parts of the province their non-customs paid vehicles when the military operation was launched in their area.