Author: Mrs. Anjum Shahnawaz

  • Stock market gains 103 points amid record inflows

    Stock market gains 103 points amid record inflows

    KARACHI: The stock market increased by 103 points on Friday amid record foreign inflows in debt securities. Analysts at Arif Habib Limited said that the week ended nearly where it began, i.e. near 43,000 level.

    During the week, the index did slip towards 42800 but closed the week above 43,000.

    Among OMCs, PSO made an upward move whereas E&P & Refineries remained largely unchanged and declined respectively.

    Throughout the week, political uncertainty reverberated that cautioned otherwise optimistic investors and therefore a halt in index performance.

    By the end of session, news of further foreign inflows of $500 million in treasury bills broke that proved to be single highest inflow in a single day yet.

    Positive sentiment was observed in the equity market as well but MoC activity pulled the index back. Banking sector again led the pack with 46.9 million shares, followed by Technology (42.7 million) and Cement (20.5 million).

    Among scrips, BOP topped the chart with 27.8 million, followed by TRG (23.9 million) and WTL (8.6 million).

    Sectors contributing to the performance include Others (+21 points), O&GMCs (+17 points), Autos (+17 points), Fertilizer (+11 points), Textile (-11 points).

    Volumes declined from 229.9 million shares to 211.2 million shares (-8 percent DoD). Average traded value also declined by 4 percent to reach US$ 40.7 million as against US$ 42.3 million.

    Stocks that contributed significantly to the volumes include BOP, TRG, WTL, KEL and DCL, which formed 35 percent of total volumes.

    Stocks that contributed positively include PSEL (+21 points), PSO (+16 points), THALL (+13 points), MEBL (+13 points) and ENGRO (+13 points). Stocks that contributed negatively include MCB (-19 points), DAWH (-9 points), BOP (-5 points), HUBC (-5 points), and NBP (-5 points).

  • Rupee gains nine paisas on foreign inflows in debt market

    Rupee gains nine paisas on foreign inflows in debt market

    KARACHI: The Pak Rupee gained nine paisas against dollar on Friday owing to significant foreign inflows in debt market, dealers said.

    The rupee ended Rs154.57 to the dollar as compared with previous day’s closing of Rs154.66 in interbank foreign exchange market.

    The dealers said that the debt market witnessed record single day investment.

    The debt market witnessed investment of $536 million in treasury bills on Friday.

    The market was initiated in the range of Rs154.57 and Rs154.62. The market recorded day high of Rs154.62 and low of Rs154.56 and closed at Rs154.57.

    The exchange rates in open market also witnessed appreciation in rupee value.

    The buying and selling of dollar at Rs154.50/Rs154.80 from previous day’s closing of Rs154.60/Rs154.90 in cash ready market.

  • Pakistan Customs assures eliminating import barriers

    Pakistan Customs assures eliminating import barriers

    KARACHI: Pakistan Customs has assured commercial importers of eliminating import barriers and improve facilitations through online system WeBOC.

    Dr. Mohammad Nadeem Memon, Collector of Customs, has assured to solve the problems facing the commercial importers at the import level and also provide all possible facilities.

    He was talking to a delegation called by Pakistan Chemicals & Dyes Merchants Association (PCDMA) Chairman and former Director of Pakistan Stock Exchange, Amin Yousuf BalgamWala. Amjad Yaqoob, Muhammad Idrees and Mohammad Sabir were also present in the meeting.

    The meeting discussed the issues with delegation including WeBOC and said that would be tried to resolve the difficulties of the members of the association on priority basis so that there would be no barrier to imports.

    Amin Yusuf Balgamwala, Chairman, PCDMA and former Director of Pakistan Stock Exchange informed about problems and said that PCDMA was always helping in customs price valuation for the last 30 years, but at the import level, commercial importers are facing various problems that need to be addressed.

    He requested to the collector of customs that PCDMA represents commercial importers across Pakistan and regional offices are established in Lahore and Faisalabad besides headquarters in Karachi, therefore, the recommendations of the association in the WeBOC should be accepted on regular basis and facilitate PCDMA members with regard to ID.

  • FBR processes refund claims with data errors under FASTER system

    FBR processes refund claims with data errors under FASTER system

    KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Friday said it processed refund claims with data errors under Fully Automated Sales Tax e-Refund (FASTER) system.

    The FBR urged FASTER Refund claimants to file refund claims in sequence i.e. July 2019 and then August 2019 and so on.

    “Claims with data errors, rolled back and re-submitted claims relating to July 2019 have been processed,” the FBR said.

    Such claims relating to August 2019 are under process which will be followed by September 2019 and onwards claims.

    BCA Data is being sorted and Commercial Exporters Claims shall be processed in the coming week, the FBR added.

    The FBR recently introduced electronic refund processing system to facilitate taxpayers. However, due to glitches in the form submission created difficulties for taxpayers in obtaining refunds.

    The FBR issued a guideline for claiming refund under FASTER System.

    01. Annex-H is a stock statement of input goods / services which shows flow of inputs in terms of quantity, value and sales tax involved in opening / closing balances, purchases and consumption in exports and local sales.

    02. Quantities / values of finished products (exports and local) and output tax on local sales should not be mentioned in Annex-H.

    03 Use Annex H to upload for the month transactions i-e purchase, import and Consumption only, Opening and Closing are derived /calculated automatically.

    Same is applicable for Excel file uploading otherwise objection of duplicate value will arise.

    04. The brought forward and carry forward tax amount in the return should match with opening balance and closing balance tax amount in the Annex-H.

    05. The value of purchases and input tax paid thereon in the return should match with the corresponding figures in columns “purchased / imported during the month” in Annex-H.

    Properly filled Annex-H without objections and anomalies of data will ensure processing in 72 Hours, the FBR said.

  • FBR issues list of 3,184 registered NPOs, NGOs

    FBR issues list of 3,184 registered NPOs, NGOs

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued a list of 3,184 Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) and Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs) that are registered with the tax authorities.

    The income tax regime has been revised for NPOs and charitable organizations and tax credit shall be available to such organizations on filing of income tax returns.

    The FBR conducted fresh scrutiny of NPOs and NGOs and then registered the organizations.

    Section 100C of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 deals with tax credit for NPOs, which is as follow:

    Section 100C: Tax credit for certain persons.

    Sub-Section (1): The income of Non-profit organizations, trusts or welfare institutions, as mentioned in sub-section (2) shall be allowed a tax credit equal to one hundred per cent of the tax payable, including minimum tax and final taxes payable under any of the provisions of this Ordinance, subject to the following conditions, namely:-

    (a) return has been filed;

    (b) tax required to be deducted or collected has been deducted or collected and paid;

    (c) withholding tax statements for the immediately preceding tax year have been filed;

    (d) the administrative and management expenditure does not exceed 15 percent of the total receipts:

    “Provided that clause (d) shall not apply to a non-profit organization, if—

    (a) charitable and welfare activities of the non-profit organization have commenced for the first time within last three years; and

    (b) total receipts of the non-profit organization during the tax year are less than one hundred million Rupees”;

    (e) approval of Commissioner has been obtained as per the requirement of clause (36) of section 2:

    Provided that this clause shall take effect from the first day of July, 2020; and

    (f) none of the assets of trusts or welfare institutions confers, or may confer, a private benefit to the donors or family, children or author of the trust or his descendents or the maker of the institution or to any other person:

    Provided that where such private benefit is conferred, the amount of such benefit shall be added to the income of the donor:

    Sub-Section (1A): Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), surplus funds of non-profit organization shall be taxed at a rate of ten percent.

    (1B) For the purpose of sub-section (1A), surplus funds mean funds or monies:

    (a) not spent on charitable and welfare activities during the tax year;

    (b) received during the tax year as donations, voluntary contributions, subscriptions and other incomes;

    (c) which are more than twenty-five percent of the total receipts of the non-profit organization received during the tax year; an

    (d) are not part of restricted funds.

    Explanation.- For the purpose of this sub-section, “restricted funds” mean any fund received by the organization but could not be spent and treated as revenue during the year due to any obligation placed by the donor.

    Sub-Section (2): Persons and incomes eligible for tax credit under this section include-

    (a) any income of a trust or welfare institution or non-profit organization from donations, voluntary contributions, subscriptions, house property, investments in the securities of the Federal Government and so much of the income chargeable under the head “income from business” as is expended in Pakistan for the purposes of carrying out welfare activities:

    Provided that in the case of income under the head “income from business”, the exemption in respect of income under the said head shall not exceed an amount which bears to the income, under the said head, the same proportion as the said amount bears to the aggregate of the incomes from the aforesaid sources of income.

    (b) a trust administered under a scheme approved by the Federal Government in this behalf and established in Pakistan exclusively for the purposes of carrying out such activities as are for the benefit and welfare of—

    (i) ex-servicemen and serving personnel, including civilian employees of the Armed Forces, and their dependents; or

    (ii) ex-employees and serving personnel of the Federal Government or a Provincial Government and their dependents, where the said trust is administered by a

    committee nominated by the Federal Government or, as the case may be, a Provincial Government;

    (d) income of a university or other educational institution being run by a non-profit organization existing solely for educational purposes and not for purposes of profit;

    (e) any income which is derived from investments in securities of the Federal Government, profit on debt from scheduled banks and microfinance banks, grant received from Federal Government or Provincial Government or District Governments, foreign grants and house property held under trust or other legal obligations wholly, or in part only, for religious or charitable purposes and is actually applied or finally set apart for application thereto:

    Provided that nothing in this clause shall apply to so much of the income as is not expended within Pakistan:

    Provided further that if any sum out of the amount so set apart is expended outside Pakistan, it shall be included in the total income of the tax year in which it is so expended or of the year in which it was set apart, whichever is the greater, and the provisions of section 122 shall not apply to any assessment made or to be made in pursuance of this proviso.

    Explanation.— Notwithstanding anything contained in the Mussalman Wakf Validating Act, 1913 (VI of 1913), or any other law for the time being in force or in the instrument relating to the trust or the institution, if any amount is set apart, expended or disbursed for the maintenance and support wholly or partially of the family, children or descendents of the author of the trust or the donor or, the maker of the institution or for his own maintenance and support during his life time or payment to himself or his family, children, relations or descendents or for the payment of his or their debts out of the income from house property dedicated, or if any expenditure is made other than for charitable purposes, in each case such expenditure, provision, setting apart, payment or disbursement shall not be deemed, for the purposes of this clause, to be for religious or charitable purposes; or

    (f) any income of a religious or charitable institution derived from voluntary contributions applicable solely to religious or charitable purposes of the institution:

    Provided that nothing contained in this clause shall apply to the income of a private religious trust which does not ensure for the benefit of the public.”

  • Sales tax rates on professional services issued

    Sales tax rates on professional services issued

    KARACHI: Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) has issued amended working tariff for tax year 2020 under which the tax rate for rendering professional services shall be at 13 percent.

    The SRB also notified reduced rate for professional services with condition of not allowing input tax adjustment.

    According to SRB working tariff chart updated till December 31, 2019, legal practitioners and consultants are required to pay sales tax on services t 13 percent.

    However, legal practitioners have option to pay reduced rate of 8 percent sales tax on services but input tax credit/adjustment shall not be adjustable.

    Similarly the sales tax rate is 13 percent for services rendered by accountants and auditors.

    The services rendered by accountant and auditors’ are exempted from sales tax if it services are exported, by registered persons, outside Pakistan, to such of the service recipients as are not located and not resident in Pakistan, subject to the condition that the value of export of the services is received in foreign exchange through banking channels in the business bank accounts of the registered person exporting the services and is also reported to the State Bank of Pakistan in the manner prescribed by the State Bank of Pakistan.

    However, the accountants and auditors have been given option to pay reduced tax rate of 8 percent on which input tax adjustment shall not be allowed.

    The SRB said that the sales tax rate of 13 percent is applicable on management consultants, technical, scientific and engineering consultants.

    The sales tax on services is also at 13 percent for software or IT based system development consultants. However, the services are exempt in case software or IT-based system development consultants’ services exported, by registered persons, outside Pakistan subject to the condition that the value of export of the services is received in foreign exchange through banking channels in the business bank accounts of the registered person exporting the services and is also reported to the State Bank of Pakistan in the manner prescribed by the State Bank of Pakistan.

    Other consultants including tax consultants, human resources and personnel development consultants are subject to 13 percent sales tax on services rendered by them.

    The SRB allowed reduced rate of tax at 8 percent on these consultants with condition that input tax adjustment will not be allowed.

  • USC officials warned of removal from service for selling subsidized items in open market

    USC officials warned of removal from service for selling subsidized items in open market

    KARACHI: Utility Stores Corporation (USC) has warned officials of removal from services in case of indulgence in selling subsidized items under the Prime Minister Relief Package in the open market.

    In this regard an official memorandum circulated by USC Regional Office Karachi (North) on Thursday directed the officials including Area Managers, Warehouse Incharges and Store Incharges directing them to discharge their duty in optimum facilitation to poor masses as envisaged under the Prime Minister Relief Package.

    The government released around Rs6 billion for the provision of lower prices for five main commodities including rice, sugar, pulses, edible ghee, and wheat flour. The package has been aimed at providing relief to ease inflationary pressure for a lower-income segment of society.

    Muhammad Javed Khan, Regional Manager, USC Karachi Region (North) in the office memo directed the official to avoid indulgence in selling subsidized items in the open market.

    “In case any violation is reported the organization will launch an investigation against officials involved,” the notification said. The officials have also been directed to avoid the bulk sale of subsidized items in order to cater a maximum number of people, it added.

    The regional manager warned that any official found involved in unethical practice would be punished, which would include a harsh penalty of removal from service.

    The regional manager also warned the officials to avoid purchasing goods from open markets for sale in their outlets. “In case any local purchase detected then concern store in charge, staff and area manager will be responsible,” it added.

    The north region issued guidelines for the officials to ensure transparency in their routine business, which included:

    — Record of sale should be maintained.

    — Avoid displaying demurrage and expired stuff.

    — No overprice will be tolerated. All items should be sold at price fixed by the USC.

    — Store timings should be observed.

    — Ensure maximum facilitation to customers.

  • Foreign exchange reserves increase to $18.123 billion

    Foreign exchange reserves increase to $18.123 billion

    KARACHI: The foreign exchange reserves of the country have increased by $39 million to $18.123 billion by week ended January 10, 2020 as compared with $18.084 billion a week ago, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said on Thursday.

    The reserves held by the central bank increased by $83 million to $11.586 billion by week ended January 10, 2020 as against $11.503 billion a week ago.

    The reserves held by commercial banks fell by $44 million to $6.537 billion as against $6.581 billion on weekly basis.

  • Foreign direct investment increases by 68.3% in first half

    Foreign direct investment increases by 68.3% in first half

    KARACHI: The foreign direct investment (FDI) into Pakistan has increased by 68.3 percent during first six months (July – December) of 2019/2020 owing to lower outflows during the period, according to data released by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Thursday.

    The FDI increased to $1.34 billion during first six months of current fiscal year as compared with $796.8 million in the corresponding months of the last fiscal year.

    The inflows under the head were at $1.71 billion during the period under review as compared with $1.84 billion in the same period in the last fiscal year.

    The outflows were at $391.2 million during first half of the current fiscal year as compared with $1.05 billion in the corresponding half of the last fiscal year.

    The portfolio investment in the equity market witnessed increased by $18.8 million in July – December 2019/2020 as compared with outflows of $419.8 million in corresponding period of the last fiscal year.

    The total foreign private investment surged by 260.6 percent to $1.36 billion during the first half of the current fiscal year as compared with $377 million in the same half of the last fiscal year.

    During the period under review an investment of $452 million was witnessed in the debt securities as foreign public investment.

    The total foreign investment increased to $1.81 billion during first six months of current fiscal year as compared with $377 million in the corresponding months of the last fiscal year.

  • Equity market gains 72 points amid range bound activity

    Equity market gains 72 points amid range bound activity

    KARACHI: The equity market gained 72 points on Thursday amid range bound trading activity during the day.

    The benchmark KSE-100 index of Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed at 43,065 points as against 42,993 points showing an increase of 72 points.

    Analysts at Arif Habib Limited said that the market maintained the range bound activity, witnessed for the past 2 sessions, where the index moves both directions and in the end maintains 43,000 level.

    Political uncertainty has so far kept the otherwise bright outlook muddled.

    Banking sector scrips also held on to price levels, whereas Index heavy weights such as ENGRO, POL, OGDC, HBL, PSO remained under slight pressure.

    In general, Cement and Textile sector scrips performed well and price gains were observed, although a news article quoted additional cost burden being added by the government on the textile sector.

    Banking sector led the volumes with 81.1 million shares, contributed mainly by BOP (60.3 million), followed by Cement (33.9 million) and Technology (29.4 million).

    Among scrips, WTL (11.7 million) and TRG (9.1 million) followed BOP.

    Sectors contributing to the performance include Banks (+63 points), Textile (+21 points), Cement (+13 points), E&P (-18 points), Chemical (-16 points), Inv Banks (-16 points).

    Volumes increased from 171.3 million shares to 229.9 million shares (+34 percent DoD). Average traded value increased by merely 7 percent to reach US$ 42.3 million as against US$ 39.6 million.

    Stocks that contributed significantly to the volumes include BOP, WTL, TRG, MLCF and POWER, which formed 42 percent of total volumes.

    Stocks that contributed positively include FFC (+17 points), MEBL (+17 points), MCB (+17 points), BOP (+16 points) and HMB (+15 points). Stocks that contributed negatively include DAWH (-17 points), COLG (-16 points), OGDC (-15 points), ENGRO (-12 points), and POL (-12 points).