The Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) has launched a series of inspections across various restaurants in Lahore to ensure compliance with registration and tax regulations.

Under the directives of the Commissioner PRA Lahore, enforcement officers are actively verifying the registration status of restaurants in the city. This initiative aims to bring unregistered businesses into the tax net and promote transparency. In line with these efforts, show-cause notices have been issued to several restaurants that have failed to register with the PRA, urging them to regularize their status. Registered restaurants found to be non-compliant in tax payments have also received show-cause notices.

Furthermore, restaurants that have not installed the Electronic Invoice Monitoring System (EIMS) as required by law have also been served with notices, emphasizing the need for immediate compliance.

Restaurants found in violation of these regulations, including those that have failed to register, install the EIMS, or make timely tax payments, have been granted a one-week grace period to fulfill their obligations. Failure to comply within the specified time may result in penalties and stringent legal action.

The Punjab Revenue Authority remains committed to ensuring tax compliance and improving revenue collection.

The weekly inflation, measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), witnessed a decrease of 0.08 percent for the combined consumption groups during the week ended on October 10, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Friday. According to the PBS data, the SPI for the week under review in the above-mentioned group was recorded at 318.91 points as compared to 319.17 points during the past week.
As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 12.74 per cent.
The weekly SPI with the base year 2015-16 =100 covers 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

Likewise, SPI for the lowest consumption group of up to Rs 17,732 witnessed decrease of 0.09 per cent and went down to 312.91 points from last week’s 313.20 points.
The SPI for consumption groups of Rs 17,732 to 22,888; Rs 22,889-29,517; Rs 29,518-44,175 and above Rs 44,175, decreased by 0.10 percent, 0.07 percent, 0.08 percent and 0.08 percent respectively.
During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 15 (29.42%) items increased, 08 (15.68%) items decreased and 28 (54.90%) items remained stable.

The items, which recorded major decrease in their average prices on a week-on-week basis included tomatoes (19.79%), bananas (2.91%), sugar (1.47%), pulse mash (1.16%), chicken (0.84%), pulse moong (0.40%), eggs (0.27%) and pulse masoor (0.20%).

The commodities which recorded major increase in their average prices on week-on-week basis included onions (4.14%), wheat flour (1.85%), pulse gram (0.63%), mustard oil (0.35%), potatoes (0.30%), LPG (0.25%), gur and cooking oil 5 litre (0.23%) each, vegetable gee 1 kg (0.14%), firewood (0.12%) and cigarettes (0.06%).—APP

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday categorically denied media reports suggesting the International Monetary Fund’s expressed concerns over the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award or the 18th Amendment.

He said that neither the federal government nor the IMF has approached him with concerns regarding the NFC Award or the 18th Amendment.

CM Murad mentioned that the federal government has started implementing the 18th constitutional amendment by devolving or winding up some of its ministries.

The chief minister spoke to the media after attending the launch of the World Bank’s latest editions of the South Asia Development Update (Sadu) and Pakistan Development Update (PDU) for October 2024 at a local hotel.

He stated that his administration has reservations about some other matters, and he is in discussions with the federal government. He added that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would only support measures that are in the interest of the country.

In response to a question, Murad Shah said that he learnt from media reports that the federal government has terminated power purchase contracts with five independent power producers (IPP), which is expected to reduce electricity tariffs.

Shah suggested that the government should take steps to utilise surplus electricity. He proposed that industrial units could be offered electricity at subsidised rates if they increased their production capacity by starting additional night shifts.

“This would help offset the capacity charges paid to the IPPs by the federal government, improve production, and create job opportunities for unemployed workers,” he said.

WB report

Speaking at the launch of the World Bank’s editions of the SADU and PDU at a local hotel, the CM said that the reports, which provide critical insights into the economic challenges faced by Pakistan and the South Asian region, were praised for offering a roadmap for sustained growth.

CM Murad said the devastating floods of 2022, which submerged nearly 70% of the province caused extensive infrastructural damage, compounding the developmental issues already exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Despite these challenges, Sindh government restored infrastructure and alleviated the economic hardships faced by the people of the province,” he added.

“We are committed to overcoming these obstacles, and the people of Sindh have shown their confidence in the government to serve and uplift them,” he added.

Talking about poverty alleviation, he said that his government responded to findings in the report, which underlined rising poverty during 2023.

“The Sindh government has taken several steps to support the most vulnerable segments of society,” he said.

He added that the Emergency Housing Reconstruction Project was a key initiative aimed at providing housing for over two million people whose homes were destroyed in the 2022 floods. “This project, with a focus on climate resilience, is expected to drive socio-economic changes in rural areas,” he said.

The chief minister who holds the portfolio of the provincial finance minister said that to combat inflation, the Sindh government has mobilised district administrations to regulate prices of essential goods and working closely with federal authorities to manage the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Sensitive Price Index (SPI).

Murad, quoting the World Bank report, said that it has also shed light on the country’s circular debt in the power sector, an issue exacerbated by low electricity bill collection rates.

“The Sindh government, in cooperation with federal agencies, has ramped up efforts to curb electricity theft and improve recovery operations.”

The event was attended by provincial ministers including Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Saeed Ghani, Syed Sardar Shah, Jam Khan Shoro, Advisor to CM Najmi Alam, Waqar Mahdi, provincial lawmakers, P&D Chairman Najam Shah and provincial secretaries of different departments.

The World Bank was represented by its Chief Economist for South Asia Franziska Lieselotte Ohnsorge and others.