ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Finance has approved a recommendation for an increase in the Federal Excise Duty (FED) on cigarettes.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Kalsoom Perveen recommended a 100percent increase in FED on cigarettes in the Senate Standing Committee on Finance meeting, chaired by Senator Farooq H. Naik here in Islamabad.

The Senate standing committee also approved recommendations presented by Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif to increase tax, duty on tobacco products.

The standing committee on Finance also recommended increasing duty on high price cigarettes and less FED on low price cigarettes.

The PML-N senator also demanded to remove tax levy on school fees. “Tax should be imposed on those who are paying more than 200,000 school fees yearly”.

The finance committee also approved recommendation for 10 percent in salaries of government employees. The standing committee approved the allocation of Rs8 billion for locusts invasion.

The recommendation to provide more funds to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Universities conducting online classes were also approved.