The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will release $1.1 billion tranche to Pakistan on December 17. "Talks with IMF have remained successful. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has fulfilled all commitments made with the IMF. Now, the IMF would release the fourth and fifth SBA tranche to Pakistan on December 17," Parliamentary Secretary for Finance Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan Friday told the National Assembly during question hour.
GST: The parliamentary secretary said the standard rate of General Sales Tax (GST) is 17 percent. However, he said the government has reduced the rate of GST on 14 commodities including tractors 10 percent, raw materials for five export textile, leather, carpets, sport goods and surgical goods 2 percent , fabrics 3 percent while 5 percent rate of sales tax on each textile (finished products), leather (finished products), soyabean meal, oil cake and other solid residues, directly reduced iron, oilseed meant of sowing, raw cotton and ginned cotton, plant and machinery not manufactured locally and having no compatible local substitutes and 2 percent cotton seed oil.
He said the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is striving for a uniform rate of sales tax on all commodities.
Loan granted by ZTBL: In a written reply to a question, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said Zarai Taraqqiati Bank Ltd (ZTBL) disbursed loans of Rs 88.58 billion to farmers from July, 2013 to 31st October, 2014. According to the list available with Business Recorder, the ZTBL has disbursed this amount in 127 districts of the country including Rs 5.77 billion in Bahawalnagar, Rs 3.91 billion in Bahawalpur, Rs 2.67 billion in Gujranwala, Rs 2.65 billion in Hafizabad, Rs 4.63 billion in Jhang, Rs 2.33 billion in Multan, Rs 5.27 billion in Okara, Rs 3.78 billion in Rahimyar Khan, Rs 2.66 billion in Sargodha, Rs 3.4 billion in Toba Tek Singh, and Rs 2.56 billion in Vehari.
Pakistan suffered loss of $80 billion in war against terrorism: During question hour's session, the Parliamentary Secretary for Interior, Maryam Aurangzeb said Pakistan has suffered a loss of almost $80 billion and 50,000 precious lives of civilians and law enforcement agencies during the decade long war against terrorism. She said Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism for over 10 years and added that extremist groups have been active throughout the country with their own ideology and motives.
Assistance provided by foreign countries to control terrorism: In written reply to the House, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that China has provided equipment of 2050 items worth Rs 120 million during 2013-14 to control terrorism in the country.
The minister said that China provided 10 walkthrough metal detectors, 100 hand held metal detectors, 600 soft quality bullet proof vests, 600 bullet proof helmet, 600 bullet proof masks, 20 bomb suppression blankets and rail, 20 sealed-type bomb blast suppression tank and 100 soft ballistic shield to Islamabad police. He said that US sponsored program was launched in 2003 for $20 million per year and it is an ongoing program. He said that under this program, so far 3000 personnel have been trained representing all provinces including ASF and Civil Aviation. He said that at the end of the training the trainees are given weapons, equipment, bomb protection jackets by the US government. Chaudhry Nisar added that the Counter Terrorism Associated Prosecution Reform Initiative (CAPRI) sponsored by UK is being executed in Punjab at an estimated cost of 1.8 m euros, which is reviewed every year.
Aliens in Pakistan: Interior Minister informed the House that National Alien Registration Authority (NARA) has registered a total of 14369 aliens from January 2008 to August 2014 without biometrics. He said that after merger of NARA in NADRA, a total number of 3952 aliens were registered along with biometrics from 21 August to 26 November 2014.
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