GIDC questions

Irrespective of whether the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess levied was irregular or regular, and the courts have once declared this surcharge as being imposed without following legal requirements, the fact remains that this surcharge was collected by these super rich individuals and powerful groups. If it was illegally levied by the Government in 2011 and the courts declared it as such, why did these companies continued to collect this GIDC from the citizens of Pakistan?

How can the legal wizards employed by the state fail to notice this illegality and gross financial irregularity committed by these companies when they collected over Rs416 billion? If the GIDC was, or is once again, declared irregular, then this cannot in any way be interpreted that illegally collected money may remain with these companies. Nobody other than the national exchequer can be trusted with the custody of this money. The state can utilize this amount to subsidize farmers, consumers of electricity etc. I am shocked at the logic advanced by the government’s ministers and advisers who it seems have ill advised PM Imran Khan, thereby casting doubts about him in the minds of those who voted for him in hopes of justice for all.

Malik Tariq Ali

Lahore