Daily Times

KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been yet collecting the workers contributions for Workers Welfare Board bypassing the Sindh Revenue Board despite the fact that said subject falls under the jurisdiction of provincial administration under 18th Constitutional Amendment, it is learnt.

According to sources, Sindh Labour and Human Resources department, few months ago, had instructed the trade bodies not to pay the contributions of the Workers Welfare Board to the FBR.

In this regard, Secretary, Labour and Human Resources Department Abdul Rasheed Solangi forwarded a letter to the trade association such as FPCCI, KCCI, KATI, SITE etc informing about the decision.

“The Sindh Revenue Board SRB has been authorized to collect the contributions under the head of Welfare Welfare Board. Therefore, from now onwards, the contributions may be deposited with the Sindh Revenue Board instead of FBR”, sources added.

The Secretary Labour and Human Resource Department of the Sindh Abdul Rasheed Solangi also forwarded a letter No L-II-2-I/2015 to the Secretary/Chairman Workers Welfare Fund, Ministry of Overseas Pakistan & Human Resource Development with a request for cessation of collection of workers welfare fund in wake of 18thAmendment.

“You are, therefore, requested to kindly issue directions to the Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan to discontinue collection of Workers Welfare Fund henceforth to the extent of Sindh province”, it adds.

According to Assistant Commissioner SWPF Sindh Revenue Board Zafar Hussain forwarded to Secretary Labour & Human Resources Department, the most of the companies are not depositing the left out amounts of the annual collection in Sindh Government’s head of account “Worker Profit Participation Fund (Sindh) on the pretext that it has to be deposited with Federal Government in terms of Sindh Act.

When contacted, Secretary Labour and Human Resources Abdul Rasheed Solangi confirmed the move and added that Sindh Revenue Board would be collecting the workers contribution once the FBR stops the collection. “We used to rely on the federal government to launch any development scheme in the province however now we can launch series of uplift schemes for the betterment of our labours”, he added.