Nine injured in gas cylinder blasts

MULTAN

As many as nine people were injured when gas cylinders exploded in their houses in separate incidents here on Saturday.

A woman was preparing breakfast for her family at Tariqabad when suddenly a gas cylinder exploded in her kitchen. As a result, three women, two kids and one male member of the family were injured. In another incident, three members of a family, Shamim Bibi, her three-year-old son Qasim and Nazir Ahmed, were injured when a gas cylinder exploded in their house at Usmanpura. The injured persons were rushed to a hospital.

TRADERS: The business community Saturday hailed the National Assembly for approving the Tax Amnesty Bill with a majority describing it a good step in right direction.

The traders said the government has taken a positive step to evolve a conducive business environment to save the local small business traders in the country. They said the tax amnesty scheme has been proposed by the business community to persuade the non-filers to file their tax returns.

Talking to journalists, the Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Fareed Mughis A Sheikh Saturday said small traders would benefit from the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2016, which would also encourage the non-filers to come in the tax net besides and increase the number of tax filers from 700,000 to 1.7 million, as per the commitment made by the business community during the dialogue with government. He said the tax amnesty scheme would revive the confidence of traders on the country’s tax system, adding that reforms in the tax system would also encourage local and international investment in the country.

Fareed said that first time in country’s history, the government has taken steps to benefit the small traders and revive their confidence on tax system.

“We are committed to increase the number of taxpayers and enhance the tax base for economic growth and prosperity in the country”, he added. Fareed said that first time in country’s history, the government has taken steps to benefit the small traders and revive their confidence on tax system. Traders blasted the opposition parties, saying that the NAB-tainted politicians, land mafias, black money holders and feudal lords are opposing Voluntary Tax Compliance Scheme, which aimed at facilitating small traders and enhancing the tax net in the country.

Demo: Activists of the Awami Workers Party on Saturday staged a demonstration against the Bacha Khan University’s carnage. The AWP activists, led by AWP district president Saeed Sajid Awan, staged a demonstration at Chowk Nawan Shehr and strongly condemned the terrorism.

Activists of the Workers Federation, led by Musawar Naqvi, also joined the protest and chanted slogans against the terrorism. Speaking on the occasion, AWP South Punjab secretary general Farhat Abbas said that terrorists had no religion.

AWP district general secretary Dilawar Abbas and others also spoke.