ISLAMABAD (April 04 2005): Central Board of Revenue (CBR) Chairman Abdullah Yusuf has said that the Board will submit the proposal for the regularisation of non-duty paid cars to the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet after incorporating the viewpoint of the Interior Ministry.
He told Business Recorder on Sunday that the CBR is waiting for the response of the Interior Ministry on the issue. As soon as the ministry concerned submits its opinion on the amnesty scheme, the CBR will move the proposal to the ECC, he added.
Abdullah Yusuf said that the proposal would be submitted to the government despite the Industries and Production Ministry's opposition on the launching of an amnesty scheme for the regularisation of non-duty paid smuggled cars.
Recently, the Industries and Production Ministry has conveyed to the CBR that such type of amnesty schemes should be discouraged to check the influx of smuggled cars in the country. However, if it is very necessary to launch the scheme, it may only be considered for the regularisation of cars in federally-administered tribal areas (Fata) and provincially-administered tribal areas (Pata).
The Industries and Production Ministry has apprehended that a large number of non-duty paid cars would be smuggled from Afghanistan to Pakistan after converting the same from left-hand to right-hand drive for availing amnesty.
It is also expected that a large number of cars would be legalised under the amnesty scheme, which would hurt investment in the local automobile industry, the Industries and Production Ministry added.
The CBR has been working on an amnesty scheme for the last many months to properly legalise these vehicles. All kinds of cars would be covered under the new scheme, including non-duty paid vehicles of Fata and other border areas.
The CBR also received a proposal from the President and the Prime Minister Secretariat for launching new customs amnesty scheme to regularise non-duty paid smuggled vehicles in Fata.
The PM Secretariat had asked the CBR to consider launching of customs amnesty scheme in the light of recommendations made by the MNAs and Senators belonging to Fata.
