LAHORE: In order to meet the Motor and Vehicle (MV) revenue targets, the Excise Taxation and Narcotics Control (ETNC) has decided to launch massive operations, starting from Monday, against defaulters in the provincial capital, Pakistan Today learnt on Saturday.
Well-maintained sources in ETNC informed this scribe that the department was facing a huge deficit in revenue from the M&V sector.
Sources said that the set target of MV for the current Fiscal Year (2019-20) was Rs9.1 billion, however, the department only collected Rs3.9 billion rupees during the last six months and it seems difficult to meet targets now.
Sources believe that the main reason for the deficit was low production of commercial and non-commercial vehicles and motorcycles which means that not much revenue is being collected from registrations either.
Similarly, tax evasion remains a major factor in the shortfall as most people did not pay annual vehicle tax to the department.
Speaking to Pakistan Today, ETNC Director General (DG) Suhail Shahzad said, “To collect the MV annual taxes we have planned the operations across the province and massive operations are already being conducted in Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi and from Monday the operations will start from Lahore”.
On inquiring about the unavailability of new number plates he said, “We are actively working on it. There were some technical issues on the issuance of new plates but now the issue has been resolved and is in its final phase. We will start the issuance soon”.
“Many people are not aware of MV taxes and do not bother to pay it. These operations are symbolic as we would spread awareness among the people about the importance of this tax,” he maintained.
He added that millions of cars were registered through ETNC but there were still a number of unregistered vehicles that roam the streets. “We are trying to register non-registered cars as it is a crime to drive a car without any identity. Through road checking, our teams can compound a non-registered and defaulter vehicle in the nearest parking area and it can only be taken back after paying taxes”.
“We are also trying to give amnesty on MV tax improving our procedure of collection to encourage people to pay taxes,” he concluded.
