Tax bills sail through Senate amid uproar

Chairman Senate Farooq Naek declared reports on RGST and flood surcharge ‘approved’ by a voice vote amid shouts of ‘no, not accepted’. — Photo by APP

ISLAMABAD: The opposition and some coalition partners tried on Friday to block the approval by the Senate of reports on reformed general sales tax (RGST) and flood surcharge, but Chairman Farooq H.Naek declared them ‘approved’ by a voice vote amid shouts of ‘no, not accepted’.

While the opponents cried foul as the chairman put to voice vote the two reports which had been prepared and signed by their representatives in the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, PML-Q’s senators walked out, saying they could not be part of a process to burden the masses with more taxes.