Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced scarping of fixed tax imposed on traders in the budget and also waived fuel adjustment charges (FCA) on electricity bills for millions of consumers. While admitting that imposed fixed tax was a fault, the premier said neither he wanted nor he directed the finance ministry to impose such tax on traders. “[Waiver] will create a gap of Rs42 billion tax revenue but we are not going to take any step that will create difficulties for our small traders,” he said. It’s been withdrawn.”Speaking about inflated electricity bills, PM Shehbaz said fuel adjustment charges – linked to international fuel prices – witnessed an exorbitant rise due to which additional charges were imposed on the electricity bills. “I took notice of this [inflated electricity bills] and on the instructions of [PML-N supremo] Mian Nawaz Sharif… we have decided to waive additional charges from the electricity bills of 17 million consumers out of a total 30 million,” the premier said.
