Pakistan Government Introduces Additional Tax: According to ARY News, the Pakistani government has made the decision to impose a new tax on non-filers, which will lead to higher taxes on mobile loads and bundles. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is planning to implement this change on May 15. This proposal calls for a 2.5% premium on individuals who do not submit taxes, as well as the withholding of SIM cards from those who refuse to comply.
A new tax on all mobile and data loads is being considered by the government as a means of increasing tax compliance, which would hit non-filers even harder financially. The FBR has made it easier to identify and implement this program by providing the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) with data on non-filers.
It has been reported that the FBR is about to sue the PTA and cellular carriers for not following the order to deactivate SIM cards belonging to non-filers. Rumor has it that the FBR’s legal team is meeting to discuss possible legal action against the PTA and cellphone companies.
The FBR and cell carriers have already tried and failed to reach an agreement on how to implement SIM card restrictions for non-compliance. In a letter sent to the FBR, the PTA voiced their opposition to the SIM card blocking of more than half a million non-filers, stating that this action would violate their operational framework. Notably, the PTA raised worries about the practicality of enforcing such rules, highlighting the popularity of SIMs registered under spouses’ names, which are mainly utilized by women.
The PTA has voiced concerns about the procedure for reinstating SIM cards for people who later comply with tax requirements, but there are no limits on issuing new SIMs to non-filers. There is a fine line between tax enforcement and technical growth, and the PTA argues that SIM blocking could impede progress in the country’s telecoms sector, which relies heavily on digitization.
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