Here is how much tax govt has collected on mobile phones in six months

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs was informed on Thursday that the government has received Rs 7 billion additional tax in last six months after it imposed the Customs Duty on mobile phones for overseas Pakistanis.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and other relevant government institutions during this period observed that duty imposition on imported mobile had a positive impact on foreign investment and local digital industry, Member Customs Policy , Muhammad Javed Ghani  told while briefing the Committee.

The Committee which met with Senator Farooq Hamid Naek in the Chair in Parliament House.

While discussing the impact of Customs Duty on mobile phones, the Committee lauded the measures taken by the FBR for collecting PKR 7 billion in taxes so far.

The FBR senior official asserted that this will discourage smuggling, since no matter how the device is procured the user would be taxed once a SIM is inserted.

Foreigners will be exempted for 60 days after which they will have to pay tax.

The Committee was also briefed regarding the ‘Tax Asan Application’.

It was recommended that the decision on the issue would be taken up in the next meeting and the Committee decision will be communicated to the petitioner.

Discussing the issue of smuggling of LED TVs referred by the Chairman Senate which was deferred due to absence of Chairman FBR.

The Committee passed the Companies Act, 2019 unanimously with an amendment with the consent of member Incharge.

Other Bills that included the Maternity and Paternity Bill, 2018, the Constitution Amendment Act, 2019, were deferred due to absence of the movers.

Starred question asked by Senator Mir Kabir Muhammad Ahmed Shahi regarding number of employees from Balochistan in the Ministry of Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs was deferred due to the absence of Adviser Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs.

The Committee directed the Ministry that the Adviser must be present in the next meeting of the Committee to answer queries, since being a policy issue he is the best person that can respond.

The consideration of Public Petition submitted by Muhammad Irfan addressed to Chairman Senate regarding simplification of the procedure of filing tax returns was deferred.

The meeting was attended by Senators Dr. Ghous Muhammad Khan Niazi, Syed Shibli Faraz, Dilawar Khan, Anwar Ul Haq Kakar, Mir Kabir Muhammad Ahmed Shahi and senior officers from the Ministry for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, Ministry of Maritime Affairs, FBR along with all other concerned officers.