Friday 28 September 2018

SC summons petroleum minister over taxes on related products

SC summons petroleum minister over taxes on related products
The Supreme Court on Friday summoned Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan in a petition regarding the imposition of different taxes on gas and petroleum products.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar is hearing a petition regarding taxes on petroleum products.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) special prosecutor Akbar Tarar and Pakistan State Oil’s (PSO) counsel, Mehmood Mirza, appeared before the court.

As the hearing began, PSO’s counsel submitted a report regarding prices of petroleum products before the bench and said the prices are high owing to management and sales affairs.

To this, the chief justice remarked, “There was an unjust increase in the prices of petroleum products. We will refer this matter to NAB.”

Justice Nisar then said, “If Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan is in town call him.”

When the chief justice questioned “where the chief executive officer is who draws Rs3.7 million?”, the PSO counsel responded he has retired.

The NAB special prosecutor then informed court, “During the previous government’s term, a PSO managing director was appointed to benefit one person.”

To this, Justice Nisar remarked, “Call Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and ask him why this happened.”

“NAB should go after such cases and leave tehsildars. The nation should know what has happened with them,” he said.

Justice Nisar then asked the NAB special prosecutor about Ahad Cheema, to which Tarar said, “We have prepared cases.”

The chief justice also expressed anger at PSO for hiring a private lawyer and asked Mirza how much fee he is being paid. “State intuitions are sinking in debt but they hire private counsels, PSO should have asked the attorney general to represent it.”




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