- Summons PIA MD along with 10-year audit report
ISLAMABAD, April 6: he Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar has made it clear that only the parliament has the power to decide the imposition or exemption of tax on commodities. However, he said he would try to give as much relief to the people as possible before retirement.
Hearing case against the prices of medicine, two-member bench headed by the CJP was presented an interim report on prices of medicine by the Secretary Health. The bench ordered to submit the full report by the first week of May.
The applicant requested that pharmaceutical industry be rendered tax-free as it already pays around 25 billion in taxes which causes surge in medicine prices.
Upon this, the CJP observed that the power to impose and remove taxes on commodities rests with the parliament. The court can only decide on existing law, he said.
The CJP also expressed his wish to accomplish what he has started before retirement. He said he has always thought of providing maximum relief to the people. Hearing was adjourned till 15th May.
Meanwhile, Justice Saqib Nisar has summoned the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) managing director along with an audit report of the national flag carrier.
According to a statement by the Supreme Court the chief justice has summoned the PIA chief in person on April 12.
The PIA managing director has been directed to bring with him a 10-year audit report of the airlines as well as the account statement of the last decade.
According to Radio Pakistan on April 1, the Supreme Court took notice of PIA’s decision to give up profitable routes to other airlines and the intended privatisation of the airline.
The court had also reportedly directed that no fresh recruitment shall be made in the PIA.
The loss-making national airline has accumulated vast debt over several years owing to official mismanagement.
The present government earlier attempted to privatise part of the airline, including its management, but the plans were put on the backburner after opposition from other political parties and the airline’s staff. According to Reuters report, Continued on page 7
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PIA was among 68 state-owned companies earmaked for privatisation in return for a $6.7 billion International Monetary Fund package that helped the government stave off a default in 2013, when it came to power.
Despite some initial success, the process stalled in 2016 after staff protests caused havoc with PIA operations and the government passed a law that effectively made it impossible to privatise the airline.-DNA/Agencies
