During the fiscal year 2022, the Sindh government earned an astounding Rs 80.4 billion as infrastructure cess on imports from Karachi.
The irony is that Karachi, Pakistan’s largest metropolis and the nation’s economic engine, has only received a meagre Rs 2.5 billion from the Sindh government, which is governed by the Pakistan People’s Party.
According to information obtained exclusively by Business Recorder from Muhammad Idrees Memon, President of the Karachi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), the provincial government collected a total of Rs 80.4 billion in infrastructure cess on imports during 2021–2022, which includes Rs 76.4 billion by sea and Rs 3.9 billion by air.
Infrastructure cess on imports from Karachi’s seaports brought in Rs 6.4 billion in July 2021, Rs 7.3 billion in August, Rs 6.7 billion in September, Rs 6.39 billion in October, Rs 6.36 billion in November, Rs 6.42 billion in December 2021, Rs 6.20 billion in January 2022, Rs 6.22 billion in February, Rs 6.22 billion in March, Rs 5.99 billion in April, Rs 5.7 billion in May, and Rs 6.4 billion in June 2022.
Similar to this, the amount of infrastructural cess tax that was collected through air travel was approximately Rs 290 million in July 2021, Rs 357 million in August, Rs 377 million in September, Rs 273 million in October, Rs 339 million in November, Rs 407 million in December 2021, Rs 319 million in January 2022, Rs 292 million in February, Rs 332 million in March, Rs 365 million in April, Rs 343 million in May, and Rs 258 million in June 2022.
Similar to this, in July 2021, Rs 290 million was collected through air travel, followed by Rs 357 million in August, Rs 377 million in September, Rs 273 million in October, Rs 339 million in November, Rs 407 million in December 2021, Rs 319 million in January 2022, Rs 292 million in February, Rs 332 million in March, Rs 365 million in April, Rs 343 million in May, and Rs 258 million in June 2022.
“The Sindh Cabinet in this regard has approved Rs2.5 billion from which Rs1.5 billion are for road maintenance on the route of People’s Bus Services and rehabilitation of various other roads,” Sindh Chief Secretary Dr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput said during his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Wednesday. “Sindh government has decided to restore rain-affected city’s infrastructure.”
Zubair Motiwala, Javed Bilwani, AQ Khalil, and other notable exporters and business leaders briefed The CS on the concerns facing the city and the business community and promised to work with the Sindh Government to enhance the city’s infrastructure.
Speaking at the event, the chief secretary predicted that the Korangi Causeway project, which will cost Rs 5 billion, will be finished by June 2024. According to him, the most vulnerable regions of the city have been identified, and an engineering solution has been proposed for the drainage of rainwater in the Tower, Gulshan Iqbal 13D, University Road, PECHS, and Ahsanabad sectors.
He added that other issues, such as the pay of the fire brigade’s employees, would be addressed in order of priority.
According to Chief Secretary Sindh, a canal, power plant, and treatment facility would be built on the Hub Dam to reduce water losses.
“Projects under public-private partnerships will be carried out in coordination with Karachi’s business community, and a public-private partnership would be used to build an IT Park in Karachi,” he said.
Assuring the business community, he promised to bring up the subject of citizen oversight for Karachi projects at the next Sindh Cabinet meeting. He added that Thar Coal is a successful project of the Sindhi government’s public-private cooperation. He stated in response to a query that the elections for local bodies would take place on time.
