Pakistan considers imposing tax on Nato supply trucks

[SMC]

It will be foolish to implement such ..if Pakistan thinks it can arm twist US in matters of money ..they have another thing coming ..US just might deduct this money from billions of dollars of aid its already giving and give it under this new Tax head...so instead of US directly funding projects in Pakistan..it might give the same money to efficient Pakistani govt, under this new tax head.

Well at least in that case no one will have reason to whine about the aid Pakistan gets. So it should go ahead anyway, even if aid is cancelled.

But this should go ahead. I am surprised, I thought we were already doing this. This should be done ASAP.

 

[BATMAN]

It will be foolish to implement such ..if Pakistan thinks it can arm twist US in matters of money ..they have another thing coming ..US just might deduct this money from billions of dollars of aid its already giving and give it under this new Tax head...so instead of US directly funding projects in Pakistan..it might give the same money to efficient Pakistani govt, under this new tax head.

I agree.... Pakistan has to be foolish to impose such a tax on its ally while exempting a non allied state India from the same.

I advise US refuse any such tax until Pakistan adopt a common policy for all states.... imagine Pakistan has been blaming India and Afghanistan for protecting wanted and organizing terrorist activities in wider Pakistan and claim to have evidence against India.

Normally aid is against projects and i would like to know what projects are sponsored by US aid?

It is wide spread believe in Pakistan that US aid is nothing more than a news story and a certificate issued by Zardari regime for receiving it.
it actually does not exist.
US may not have any evidence to support its aid fantasy... perhaps nothing more than a receipt note from President Zardari or his jail mate who's crime were pardoned as personal discretion of an ex jail mate.
While, certificate issued by a man with repo like below hold no value more than a bribe, specially when US regularly issue statements in support of his rule:

We have witnessed US has refused to hand out few millions of petty aid to govt. of Pakistan, than who would believe that US had been handing out billions in cash to Mr. Zardari who has a history of strapping bombs to rich Pakistani's legs?

You are free to support your aid fantasy with credible reference.
Please.. no TOI or The Hindu like references.

 

[Von Hölle]

^^ When did India start transporting it goods through Pakistan??

 

[BATMAN]

^^ When did India start transporting it goods through Pakistan??

immediately after the resignation of P.Musharraf.
In past i have posted many links... people of Lahore are witness to it..
Actually Indian transit and NATO transit so name of two channels for same thing.

 

[Von Hölle]

immediately after the resignation of P.Musharraf.
In past i have posted many links... people of Lahore are witness to it..

Then you should read your govt policy too..India is not allowed to carry any trade goods thorough Wagah border only Afghanistan is!!

 

[BATMAN]

Afghan Transit Trade: Indian goods with ISAF & NATO tags

ISLAMABAD: Despite Pakistan’s refusal to let Indian products be taken to Afghanistan through its territory under the Afghan Transit Trade (ATT), Indian goods are being taken to the country via Pakistan under the tags of ISAF and NATO.
Documentary evidence placed in the National Assembly library may have failed to catch the attention of honourable parliamentarians, but International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) personnel are receiving Indian goods transported through Pakistan under special arrangements.
Soon after the US attacked Afghanistan, the military regime of General Pervez Musharraf offered a special concession whereby ISAF and NATO got a blanket cover for importing their cargoes through Pakistani ports and airports. The government issued the Customs General Order (CGO) 12/2002 for the purpose.
Such goods were given customs duty exemption and Pakistani customs officials were neither allowed nor they had any mechanism to check details of imported items and had to accept the information provided by the countries in the international alliance.
The present government made no changes in the arrangement introduced by the Musharraf regime.
A recent information sheet of cargoes meant for NATO transported through Pakistan carries the name Tata—a 66-seater bus—scores of other Indian brand items which are mentioned only as ‘Provisions for ISAF and NATO’.
Documents available reveal that the facility was being regularly used since the start of the war on terror and Pakistan playing the role of a frontline state.
According to Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Hina Rabbani Khar, the movement of consignments for ISAF and NATO to Afghanistan is not covered by the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (ATTA) 1965, which is a bilateral accord.
Ms Khar provided the information in response to a question raised by Engineer Khurram Dastigir Khan of the PML-N.
She said that a special arrangement had been made by the former government for the movement of cargoes meant for NATO and ISAF through Pakistan which did not carry the provision of examination or physical checking of goods. This arrangement was worked out in consultation with the Federal Board of Revenue, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Commerce and it had since been working smoothly.
The minister also accepted that NATO countries seldom provided detailed description of the imported goods by them. This hesitation, the minister argued, might be because of heightened security concerns.

 

[Von Hölle]

^^ Then you should tighten up your Custom dept....because they are foolish enough to let Indian goods pass..despite clear govt policy...as far Indian govt is concerned ..Pakistani govt does not allow any Indian trade through Wagah.

 

[BATMAN]

Von Hölle;
Custom dpt. works under the leadership of Mr. Zardari, i believe no further explanations required.

Yes i agree, we should tighten our border control but Pakistan shares very porous borders with Afghanistan.
While, smuggling is not limited to Indian goods, it includes American and Indian arms too.
Even eatable like tea, sugar, wheat etc. are being smuggled into Pakistan from Afghanistan.

Problem is not limited to smuggling back to Pakistan. Primarily free transit facility was meant only for NATO and not to be misused and to be resold in Afghanistan to private contractors and private militias of northern alliance.

What we witness is only NATO needs to import, where as zero imports from the whole bunch of population and contractors. Apparently Afghanis and Indian personals perhaps twice in number as NATO officially survive on nothing.
Their construction machines and vehicles work by air.
Apparently US's favorite democratic govt. in Pakistan is keeping eyes closed for some unexplained reasons.

Morale of the story before signing any tax agreements…. audit must be made of all the imports and consumption of NATO since last 10 years.
If not military goods than food supplies must be audited and if NATO has been found guilty of smuggling under the free transit facility than they must be fined.
Even the dead bodies of Pushtoons can be counted against the amount of munitions imported and consumed.

 

[BATMAN]

Then you should read your govt policy too..India is not allowed to carry any trade goods thorough Wagah border only Afghanistan is!!

Please... read my posted news above we have evidence that NATO had been importing Indian stuff.

Pakistan markets are full of Indian tiers, cloths, goods, electronics etc. being sold openly, i don't believe those are being smuggled in via China.

Interesting part is imports from China or Turkey etc. are heavily taxed.
At some points treatment to fair imports is like teaching a lesson for not doing it again and let every thing flow into Pakistan from open borders of Afghanistan and this smuggling is protected by some organisations which are not considered as terrorists in Afghanistan.
namely.... BLA, TTP etc. there heads are using Indian passports to travel in and out of US and Europe.
Despite many request from Pakistan India have not canceled their passports, neither NATO have extradited them to Pakistan.

 

[PakSher]

Tax in needed on NATO and ISAF containers so we can repair the roads that are being damaged by their burden on our infrastructure. It is long overdue.

 

[TOPGUN]

Why the hell not lets try and see tax the suckers... after all its our countries men lifes that are being lost not there's .

 

[alibaz]

It will be foolish to implement such ..if Pakistan thinks it can arm twist US in matters of money ..they have another thing coming ..US just might deduct this money from billions of dollars of aid its already giving and give it under this new Tax head...so instead of US directly funding projects in Pakistan..it might give the same money to efficient Pakistani govt, under this new tax head.

There is no point of twisting someones arm, if someone thinks that US will deduct money out of aid, sir by all means they should do so. Let the things be very clear and transparent. By the way how many billions of dollars Pakistan is getting in aid.

 

[Von Hölle]

There is no point of twisting someones arm, if someone thinks that US will deduct money out of aid, sir by all means they should do so. Let the things be very clear and transparent. By the way how many billions of dollars Pakistan is getting in aid.

Pakistan is getting 1.5 billion CSF aid ..1.5 billion Kerry Luger Bill aid..besides the flood aid..Pakistan can impose tax and get the same amount of money they were getting before ..but it will forfeit good will gesture points it earns by allowing free transportation to US ..and you might stop getting free goodies you get as a MNNA(ie helis, frigates etc).

 

[BATMAN]

There is no point of twisting someones arm, if someone thinks that US will deduct money out of aid, sir by all means they should do so. Let the things be very clear and transparent. By the way how many billions of dollars Pakistan is getting in aid.

I wanted to discuss very same point.
NATO has been running its transit operations very un-regularly with zero transparency and out of ethical norms.

I always wondered why a resourceful NATO needs transit facility on the first place, while private contractors and even whole civilian population survive without transit facility?

Every thing from India end up in Afghanistan including electronics and cars and trucks.. why they not ask India to show them the same route?

I'm equally surprised at the Pakistan authorities who have no record about the amount of supplies they grant tax exemption daily?

Damages to the road is secondary issue and perhaps popped up because the sign of their deterioration appeared much before their costs had been recovered and subsequent credits stand unpaid.

I have no doubt in my mind that junior officers in NATO are minting dollars in Afghanistan by selling goods imported under free transit facilities to private contractors.
It also support the drive in rise of number of private contractors in Afghanistan and followed tussle among the shareholders.

Tax exemptions without record only indicate to kickbacks being circulated all around.

 

[BATMAN]

Pakistan is getting 1.5 billion CSF aid ..1.5 billion Kerry Luger Bill aid..besides the flood aid..Pakistan can can impose tax and get the same amount of money they were getting before ..but it will forfeit good will gesture points it earns by allowing free transportation to US ..and you might stop getting free goodies you get as a MNNA(ie helis, frigates etc).

Without challenging your stats. I ask; do you also know the figures of tax exemptions Pakistan granted to NATO over the period of last 10 years?
I'm certain.....you don't know and that's we wish to know the world wish to know the approximation of the cost of WOT Pakistan is paying.
I want to read it in WSJ, TIMES Magazine, The Hindu.
I wish that every child of Pakistan know exact figure with which we aided the NATO when it was operating in our neighborhood.

We probably won't tax but we should have separate head for the expenses we make on security escorts for NATO supplies and accelerated depreciation of roads.

We like to know how much loan present govt. has taken from IMF and World bank and at what markups so that we can correctly calculated the direct costs.

We are being advised by Holbrook, Hilary Clinton, IMF and World bank to charge Pakistanis for tax to for building broken roads.