GB Public gnashing teeth over taxation

Political representatives of Gilgit Baltistan have strongly condemned the decision of tax imposition on the region. GB Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced to launch protest movements after Eid.

Deputy Speaker GBLA, Mr. Jamil Ahmad has termed the notification ‘Illegal’ as, he said, it has been issued without the approval of GB Council. Interestingly, he advised to the public that they should refuse to pay any tax.

“People should refuse to pay any tax. The bureaucracy has issued such notification and it violates the Rules and Regulations” Jamil Ahmad said.

“Only the GB council has a legitimate right to legislate major public interest decisions. In this case, strict action should be taken against those who surpassed their discretionary powers.” He added, without pointing anyone.

Advisor to Prime Minister and member GB Council Professor Ghulam Ahmad Saleem said that during the last meeting of the council the members had presented some terms and conditions for imposing income tax but bureaucracy ignored their suggestions and the notification of imposition of income tax was issued.

Giving the details of terms and conditions he said that members of the council had suggested that any tax should not be imposed without proper legislation.

“The people of Gilgit Baltistan are already paying billions of rupees as indirect tax, including GST. The Feds have to tell us where that money is being used. It is a matter that impacts our future and we will not let anyone play with our future. We will go to any extent to halt this decision” He said.

Advisor to prime minister and member GB Council Mulana Atta Ullah Shahab termed the imposition of taxation in GB as ‘Sensitive’. Such decisions, he said, should be taken with due consultation with the stakeholders. He said that haste will make things complicated.

Javed Hussain, President of GB Chamber of Commerce has announced a protest rally against the decision and urged the government to withdraw the notification. He made it clear that the tax imposition will not be accepted until the people of the region get constitutional identity. He also urged that the council’s powers should be transferred to GB Assembly.

Independent political analysts in Gilgit Baltistan, however, do not believe what the local politicians shoot out in the media. It is generally perceived that the bosses in Islamabad order them to do whatever has been told to them. They obediently act upon and then show a little protest in order to hide their nose. Time and again, it has been proved that the real government in this part of the world is a low profile powerful bureaucracy and, on the issue of the taxation, the government of Gilgit Baltistan, currently in protest against its own subordinates.

Souces: The Dardistan Times

Link: http://www.dardistantimes.com/content/gb-public-gnashing-teeth-over-taxation