The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue has opposed heavy increase in gas infrastructure development cess (GIDC) and a 50 per cent reduction in subsidy on electricity tariff, saying it will burden the people.
The committee led by Senator Nasrin Jalil of Muttahida Qaumi Movement also asked the government to consider further increase in salaries and pensions and provide subsidy on diesel to reduce input costs of businesses, transportation costs for commuters and goods and services.
The committee recommended that the government should develop a mechanism to keep lower petroleum levy for the poor and higher for the rich people after studying a similar model in Egypt for providing targeted subsidy on petroleum products to the poor.
