Senate chairman forwards Pakistan Steel Mills matter to relevant committee
Last updated on: 05 June,2020 03:18 pm
Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjarani chaired the session
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjarani on Friday has handed over the matter of sacking all the employees of Pakistan Steel Mills to relevant committee. While addressing the Senate session, Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar said the previous governments have failed to revive or privatize Pakistan Steel Mills. Today, the debt of Pakistan Steel Mills stands at 230 billion rupees. The government has now decided to lease out the core steel mills operations for revival, he added. Hammad told the house during question hour that our tax collection also witnessed twenty seven percent growth before the breakout of Covid-19.
He said the post pandemic has seen thirty percent decline in tax collection but expressed the confidence that the situation will improve as the business activities are being resumed. The minister said databases are being used to improve the tax collection. He said the government plans to phase out import based duties and focus on domestic taxation.
The session was begun by offering fateha for those who died of coronavirus including the parliamentarians and the victims of Karachi plane crash. The chaiman sought Allah Almighty‘s blessings to rid the country of this pandemic.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mushahidullah said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar had challenged to run Pakistan Steel Mills at any cost. Those who made fake promises to get votes should resign, he demanded. While addressing the House, Jamiat-e-Islami chief Siraj-ul-Haw said that those who promised to provide one crore jobs are now sacking the employees.