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Cell phone companies making direct payments to govt: Hafeez Shaikh

Cell phone companies making direct payments to govt: Hafeez Shaikh
September 4, 2019
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has said that cell phone companies have started making direct payments to the government. Addressing a press conference with other federal ministers on Wednesday, he said that an amount of Rs70 billion was paid during the last couple of days. He said that exports and revenue had increased, while current deficit had decreased. He claimed that the tax filers had increased to 2.5 million. “The verified sales tax will be refunded from 2015,” he said. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said that hurdles in business would be removed. “The economic team is striving to improve the economy of the country. The country had the loan of Rs30,000 billion,” he said. He lauded Pakistan’s program with the International Monetary fund. “A subsidy has been given to the private sector on power, gas and loans. Its objective is that the private sector should increase the employment opportunities,” he said. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said that the expenditures of the civil government had been reduced by Rs50 billion. “The cabinet members’ salaries have been reduced. The expenditures of the army have been frozen. An amount o fRs150 billion has been earmarked for the development of tribal areas,” he said. The adviser claimed that the revenue had increased by Rs580 billion. “The revenue witnessed an increase of 25 percent as compared to last year,” he said. He said that the number of filers had increased to 2.5 million from 1.9 million. “We are facing problems in refunding the amount to exporters,” he said.