ISLAMABAD, Jun 11 (APP): Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Fayaz Ahmed Tareen on Friday said that there is a proposal of tax exemption on import of auto-disable Syringes and their raw material and exemption on oxygen cylinders.
“We all know that COVID-19 has badly damaged the entire human race and the global economy and to mitigate adverse effects of this killer virus and debilitating diseases such as Hepatitis, all such measures are being taken for citizens,” Shaukat Tareen said in a budget speech at the National Assembly.
He said that the government is aware of the condition of a common man in the post-Covid-19 scenario. “Considering the sensitivity of the fact that we are still in the pandemic, therefore, exemptions given earlier by this government on Covid-19 related medical equipment or items have been extended for a further six months.”
Further, additional 35 raw materials required in the manufacturing of these items, have also been exempted from customs duties so that the supply of COVID-19 related medicines to those in need be available readily at affordable prices.
Tareen said “We have successfully contained the ill effects of COVID-19 even after facing the third wave during the March-May period, which in many ways was more severe than the first one. We have avoided large-scale lockdowns, expanded the hospitals’ capacity, improved supplies of equipment and medicines and mass awareness campaigns to elicit voluntary compliance from people.“
He said that the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) kept people aware of the state of the pandemic and counselled them on precautionary measures required to avoid infections. He added NCOC also coordinated with provincial authorities to evolve a National Strategy to combat COVID-19.
He said that the government has reached out to the affected population through cash transfer programs. Additionally, by avoiding general lockdowns we have enabled people to remain engaged in their economic activities. It is because of such measures that the wheel of the economy has kept running, he added.
