KARACHI - Sindh Assembly on Monday unanimously passed government Bill No- 19 of 2011 - The Sindh Sales Tax on Services Bill, 2011, thus paving way for the provincial government to levy and collect Sales Tax on services provided and consumed in Sindh from July 2011. Although no new tax has been levied, but the government expected to generate over Rs20 billion revenue through better management against the past practice of transferring to Sindh only Rs3 billion to Rs4 billion as 23 per cent share on the criteria of population from the divisible pool against its 70 per cent share in the collection. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah termed the bill as important and said that his government forcefully pleaded the case for return of collection Sales Tax to Sindh which was a great achievement. He said the GST on services was a provincial subject which was taken from the province through a Federal Ordinance in 2000. He said that though lot of hurdles and difficulties were created by bureaucrats in the way but finally the provinces agreed on collection of sales tax. He said that around 67 to 70 percent Sales Tax on services was collected from Sindh. Syed Qaim Ali Shah disclosed that till now the province was getting Rs15 to 20 billion on account of Sales Tax on Services but hoped that now this amount will increase to the tune of Rs50 billion in coming years. The Chief Minister acknowledged the role Syed Sardar Ahmed for his fight for the return of Sales Tax on Services to province during the previous government. But it could not be done then, he added. Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Minister Syed Sardar Ahmed appreciated the bill and said that this was the same tax which the centre was collecting but now it was the right of Sindh to collect it. Tabling the bill in the house, Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah speaking on the principles and objectives of the bill said that it was the longstanding issue which had been resolved now and it would compensate last 11 years injustices. He said that Sindh government constituted Sindh Revenue Board which will collect Sales Tax on Services. After speeches by Syed Sardar Ahmad, Razzaq Rahimoon, Marvi Rashdi and Ayesha Khoso in support of the bill, and clause by clause reading, when the bill was put to the vote it was unanimously passed into law. Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro tabled Government Bill No-16 of 2011-The Sindh Civil Servants (Regularisation of Absorption) Bill, 2011. Speaking in favour of the bill, Soomro said that in view of their experience and competence, certain employees with the approval of competent authority were absorbed in the public interest, in government department of the province. With a view to protect such absorption by way of law, it is expedient to enact a law in the matter, he added. Opposition PML (F) members Ms Nusrat Sehar Abbasi and Syeda Marvi Rashdi opposed the bill tooth and nail and declared it as a black law. Marvi Rashdi said that the bill was aimed to favour 15 blue-eyed government employees. Sindh Minister for Katchi Abadis Rafique Engineer termed the bill as a good step. Lashing out at the opposition members, the emotionally charged minister said that those who were describing the bill as black law had blacken the constitution by incorporating LFO in it. The livid Rafique Engineer unfurled a long charge sheet and held the previous government responsible for all the ills under the sun; the opposition was part of it. Senior Minister Pir Mazhar ul Haq said that those who had sided with the martial laws were unaware of legislation. He said that previous government recruited more than 7,000 people on contract basis in Education Department but the present government regularised the services of all contract employees. Surprisingly no MQM legislators took part in the discussion. However, after long debate, the bill was put to the house which was approved. Later, on the request of Sindh Law Minister through a motion, the house granted extension of date for presentation of four government bills upto next session. When the agenda was completed, the PML (F) member Marvi Rashdi tried to move a motion, seeking in camera session of assembly on law and order situation in the province. Law Minister opposed the motion and said that there was no need of holding in camera session. Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro advised her to move a resolution on law and order so that the issue could be discussed threadbare.