ISLAMABAD, (INP): Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar has said that the federal government is going to repeal Customs Act 1969 from Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) on the request of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government in the next twenty-four hours.
Addressing a news conference here on Sunday evening, Ishaq Dar said President Mamnoon Hussain on the advice of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has signed the document the other day.
Updating over background of the law, he said the law had been enforced on March 28, 2016 on the demand of the provincial government in a summary moved on May 15, 2015. However, as the provincial government again moved a summary on May 5, 2016 seeking its withdrawal, the president approved the same on the advice of the Prime Minister.
To a question about the agreement between the government and the real estate stakeholders regarding valuation of immovable property for taxation reached yesterday, the Minister said an ordinance will be issued today to immediately enforce the decisions as law. However, the due process of parliamentary proceedings will follow later.
To yet another question, Ishaq Dar said the government has invited the Speaker National Assembly to facilitate in convening a meeting of the committee on terms of reference for the Panama leaks because the committee does not have a convener.
He said the government has asked the opposition team of the ToRs committee to hold a meeting on Monday, but it could not be possible due to the preoccupation of the committee member Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan. However, efforts are being made to convene the meeting on some agreed upon date mostly likely in the second week of the next month.
The Finance Minister said the PTI Chief should concentrate on mitigating the sufferings of the people affected by the flash floods in Chitral instead of organizing rallies.
He said best medical facilities are being provided to the people of Swat through Nawaz Sharif Kidney Hospital. He said the government is committed to fulfill all its promises made to the people within the given timeframe.
