The South Asian country is locked in negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the release of critical bailout funds, and with roughly enough reserves to meet only three weeks of imports, Pakistan is looking to increase revenue despite multi-decade high inflation of 27%. Pakistan laid a supplementary
finance bill before parliament on Wednesday, proposing to raise the goods and services tax (GST) to 18% from 17% to help raise 170 billion rupees ($639.70 million) in extra revenue during the fiscal year ending in July.
The finance bill also proposed to raise taxes on luxury items to 25%, while hikes in taxes on first- and business-class air travel, cigarettes and sugary drinks were also proposed.
High speed diesel will now cost 280 rupees a litre after an increase of 17.20 rupees, the finance ministry said. Kerosene and light diesel oil prices were increased as well. ($1 = 265.7500 Pakistani rupees) (Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by Tom Hogue and Christian Schmollinger)
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