Category: Taxation

Stay updated on taxation news, tax laws, FBR policies, compliance, audits, income tax, sales tax, and fiscal developments in Pakistan.

  • Joint, several liability in tax default

    Joint, several liability in tax default

    Section 8A of Sales Tax Act, 1990 has explained joint and several liability of registered persons in supply chain where tax unpaid.

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued the Sales Tax Act, 1990 updated up to June 30, 2021. The Act incorporated amendments brought through Finance Act, 2021.

    Following is the text of section 8A of Sales Tax Act, 1990:

    8A. Joint and several liability of registered persons in supply chain where tax unpaid.– Where a registered person receiving a taxable supply from another registered person is in the knowledge or has reasonable grounds to suspect that some or all of the tax payable in respect of that supply or any previous or subsequent supply of the goods supplied would go unpaid, of which the burden to prove shall be on the department such person as well as the person making the taxable supply shall be jointly and severally liable for payment of such unpaid amount of tax:

    Provided that the Board may by notification in the official gazette, exempt any transaction or transactions from the provisions of this section.

    (Disclaimer: The text of above section is only for information. Team PkRevenue.com makes all efforts to provide the correct version of the text. However, the team PkRevenue.com is not responsible for any error or omission.)

  • PM to launch single sales tax portal this month

    PM to launch single sales tax portal this month

    ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to launch the single sales tax portal this month, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said on Thursday.

    “Building further on its vision to facilitate taxpayers through automation, digitization, and minimization of human interaction with taxpayers, the FBR is all set to launch Single Sales Tax Portal. Prime Minister is likely to unveil the mega national initiative, later this month,” it said.

    This landmark initiative has been made possible after thorough discussions with the provincial revenue authorities of Punjab, Sindh, KPK, Baluchistan, and AJK.

    This facility will enable taxpayers to file single monthly Sales Tax returns instead of multiple returns (6 in the past) on different portals; thereby, significantly reducing the time and cost of compliance, and thus achieving maximum efficiency.

    The system would be intelligent enough to sift and collect revenues from a single taxpayer and distribute the same among multiple revenue agencies.

    This unique project would also help in resolving the long outstanding issues of input tax adjustment among relevant stakeholders. With the proposed launch of Single Sales Tax Portal later this month, the existing cumbersome and tedious processes would be replaced with an efficient & automated system of tax adjustments, with minimum human involvement.

    The Portal would also be beneficial for tax collectors in having a 360-degrees view of taxpayers’ business activities across the country in order to maximize revenue potential and tax compliance.

    By all standards, this is a giant leap forward in taxpayers’ facilitation and at the same time, a significant step in harmonization of taxes between federal and provincial governments.

  • Tax credit on certain supplies not allowed

    Tax credit on certain supplies not allowed

    Section 8 of Sales Tax Act, 1990 has defined tax credit on certain supplies not allowed.

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued the Sales Tax Act, 1990 updated up to June 30, 2021. The Act incorporated amendments brought through Finance Act, 2021.

    Following is the text of section 8  of Sales Tax Act, 1990:

    8. Tax credit not allowed. – (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, a registered person shall not be entitled to reclaim or deduct input tax paid on –

    (a) the goods or services used or to be used for any purpose other for taxable supplies made or to be made by him;

    (b) any other goods or services which the Federal Government may, by a notification in the official Gazette, specify;

    (c) the goods under sub-section (5) of section 3:

    (ca) the goods or services in respect of which sales tax has not been deposited in the Government treasury by the respective supplier;

    (caa) purchases, in respect of which a discrepancy is indicated by CREST or input tax of which is not verifiable in the supply chain;

    (d) fake invoices;  

    (e) purchases made by such registered person, in case he fails to furnish the information required by the Board through a notification issued under sub-section (5) of section 26;

    (f) goods and services not related to the taxable supplies made by the registered person.

    (g) goods and services acquired for personal or non-business consumption;

    (h) goods used in, or permanently attached to, immoveable property, such as building and construction materials, paints, electrical and sanitary fittings, pipes, wires and cables, but excluding pre-fabricated buildings and such goods

    acquired for sale or re-sale or for direct use in the production or manufacture of taxable goods;  

    (i) vehicles falling in Chapter 87 of the First Schedule to the Customs Act, 1969 (IV of 1969), parts of such vehicles, electrical and gas appliances, furniture furnishings, office equipment (excluding electronic cash registers), but excluding such goods acquired for sale or re-sale;

    (j) services in respect of which input tax adjustment is barred under the respective provincial sales tax law;

    (k) import or purchase of agricultural machinery or equipment subject to sales tax at the rate of 7% under Eighth Schedule to this Act;

    (l) from the date to be notified by the Board, such goods and services which, at the time of filing of return by the buyer, have not been declared by the supplier in his return or he has not paid amount of tax due as indicated in his return; and

    (m) the input goods or services attributable to supplies made to un-registered person, on pro-rata basis, for which sale invoices do not bear the NIC number or NTN as the case may be, of the recipient as stipulated in section 23.

    (2) If a registered person deals in taxable and non-taxable supplies, he can reclaim only such proportion of the input tax as is attributable to taxable supplies in such manner as may be specified by the Board.

    (3) No person other than a registered person shall make any deduction or reclaim input tax in respect of taxable supplies made or to be made by him.

    (4)  Omitted

    (5) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force or any decision of any Court, for the purposes of this section, no input tax credit shall be allowed to the persons who paid fixed tax under any provisions of this Act as it existed at any time prior to the first day of December, 1998.

    (6) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force or any provision of this Act, Board, with the approval of the Federal Minister-in-charge, may, by notification in the official Gazette, specify any goods or class of goods which a registered person cannot supply to any person who is not registered under this Act.

    (7) Omitted

    (Disclaimer: The text of above section is only for information. Team PkRevenue.com makes all efforts to provide the correct version of the text. However, the team PkRevenue.com is not responsible for any error or omission.)

  • Customs I&I to auction imported vehicles on November 5

    Customs I&I to auction imported vehicles on November 5

    KARACHI: The Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) Customs, Karachi has announced the auction of old and used imported vehicles to be held on November 05, 2021.

    The directorate to auction the following used and old imported vehicles:

    01. Mercedes Benz E-230 Car, Reg. No. AAJ-106, Model-1997 Chassis No. WDB2100372A189414 Color Grey 2294cc

    02. BMW 7 Series E66 745Li Car, Reg. No. BCP-523, Model-2002 Chassis No. WBAGN62000DE55455, H.P. 4400cc Color White

    03. Toyota Mark X Car, Reg.No.AMQ-020, Model-2006 Chassis No.GRX121-3001124, H.P.3000CC, Color Pearl White

    04. Toyota Marks-X Car Reg No.ASP-663 Model 2005 Chassis No.GRX121-1005188 color pearl white H.P 2994 CC

    05. Honda Civic Car Reg No.AKY-342 Model 2004 Chassis No.JHMES56804S201499 color Black H.P 1590 CC

    06. Toyota Marks-X Car Reg No.BBF-001 Model 2005 Chassis No.GRX120-0045540 color pearl white H.P 2499 CC

    07. Toyota Marks-X Car Reg No.ARN-690 Model 2005 Chassis No.GRX120-0021588 color Silver H.P 2500 CC

    08. Toyota Hilux Surf Reg. No. ABC-600 Model 1997 Chassis No.KZN185-9022690 color Silver 2982 CC

    09. Toyota Prado Jeep, Reg No. WAA-225, Model 1996 Chassis No.VZJ95-0001689 Color Blue H.P 3378 CC

    10. Toyota Mark-X Car Reg No. LED-14-7246, Model 2005, Chassis No.GRX121-1005846 color Pearl White H.P 3000 CC

    11. Honda Accord Car, having dummy/fake registration plate / Mark Reg. No. AXY-881, Chassis No. CL7-3006381, Model-2003, Color Silver

    12. Suzuki Swift Car Reg No. BCF-996, Chassis No.ZC11S-166252, 1300CC , Model 2006, Color Silver

    13. Toyota Mark-X Car having dummy/fake Reg plate / Mark ASY-789 Karachi, Chassis No. GRX120-0067707, 2499cc Model 2006, Color Pearl White

    14. Toyota Premio Car having dummy/fake registration plate / Mark ARL-786, Chassis No. ZZT240-5014560, Engine No.INZ-A477200, 1794cc Model 2003, Color Pearl White

    15. Honda Civic Reborn (Hybrid) Car, without Registration plate/Mark, ASP-765 Karachi Chassis No.FD3-1005399, Engine No.DAA-FD3, 1300 CC Model 2006, Color Silver

    16.Toyota Surf Jeep having dummy/fake Reg plate / Mark BC-5511, Chassis No. VZN185-0357462, Model 2001, Color Golden

    17. BMW-(545i Series) Car, having dummy/fake registration plate / Mark without Registration plate/Mark, Chassis No.WBANB32070B360916 ,Model 2004, Color Black,

    18. Suzuki Swift Car having dummy/fake Reg plate / Mark AWA-248, Chassis No.ZCI 1S-123498, Model 2005, Color Black

    19. Toyota Vitz Car having dummy/fake Reg. plate / Mark BDA-756, Chassis No. KSP90-2067642, Model 2008, 1000 cc Color White,

    20. Toyota Mark-X Car having dummy/fake registration plate / Mark AZU-931, Chassis No. GRX120-0040846, Model 2005, 2500 cc Color White

    21. Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep Bearing Registration No. 493301 (Bahrain), Chassis No. JTMDU09J3E5087856, Engine No. 1GRB000618, Model 2014, 4000CC, Color Pearl White

    22. Toyota X Corolla Bearing Registration No. AWV-409 (Karachi), Chassis No. ZZE122-3001965, 1500CC, Model 2000, Color Silver

    23. Toyota Mark-X Registration No. ARV-871 (Karachi), Chassis No. GRX120-0045784, 2500CC, Model 2005, Color Pearl White

    24. Toyota Corolla Car Bearing Registration No. AAM-180 (Quetta), Chassis No. AE100-002618, Model 1992

    25. Suzuki Swift Car having Dummy / Fake Registration Plate / Mark AUJ-037 (Karachi), Chassis No.ZC11S-166072 1300CC, Model 2006 Color Silver

    26. Toyota Hilux Surf Jeep having Dummy / Fake Registration Plate / Mark E-1412, Chassis No.LN130-7023698 Engine No. 2L-3254319, Model 1992, Color Black

    27. Toyota Land Cruiser Lexus LX-470 Jeep bearing Registration Plate / Mark. CC-52-33 (unregistered) Chassis No.UZJ100-0016994, Engine No.2UZ-0026202, Color Rose Mist, Model 1999, 4700CC

    28. Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep (Cygnus)having Registration Plate / Mark AJKF-8208 Chassis No.UZJ100-0160781, 4663CC.Model 2006, Color Pearl White

    29. Toyota Mark-X Car Regd No.AAK-405, Chassis No.GRX121-1005389, 3000CC, Model 2005 Color Pearl White

    30.Suzuki Swift Car Registration No. BAA-230 (Karachi), Chassis No.ZC11S-159920, H.P 1328CC, Model 2006, Color Pearl White

    31. Suzuki Swift Car Registration No. AYA-807 ( Karachi), Chassis No.ZC71S-470841, H.P. 1300CC, Model 2009, Color Silver

    32. Suzuki Swift Car Registration No. AWX-097 (Karachi), Chassis No.JSAEZC11S00406854, H.P. 1328CC, Model 2006 Color Pearl White

    33. Suzuki Swift Car Registration AYG-759, Chassis No.ZC71S-435206, H.P 1300CC, Model 2008, Color Black

    34. Suzuki Liana Car Reg No.APM-342

  • FBR defers digital payment provision for one month

    FBR defers digital payment provision for one month

    ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has deferred the implementation of a digital mode of payment for one month.

    The digital mode of payment has been made mandatory for the corporate sector, which was to be implemented from November 01, 2021.

    The FBR issued Circular No. 09 of 2021-22 on Monday to allow an extension in the deadline for implementation of digital mode of payment up to November 30, 2021.

    The new provision was introduced through Tax Laws (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2021.

    The FBR in its explanation through Circular No. 07 dated September 23, 2021 said: to improve documentation, a new clause (la) has been inserted in section 21 of the Ordinance.

    Previously payments under a single head account exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand rupees, made by any taxpayer were required to be made through crossed cheque or crossed baking instruments including digital payments.

    “Through this amendment, payments made by a company under a single head of account exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand rupees other than by digital means from business bank account of the taxpayer notified to the Commissioner under section 114A of the Ordinance shall not be admissible as deductions.”

    However, certain expenditures on account of utility bills, freight charges, travel fare, and payment of taxes and fines would continue to be admissible even though paid in cash or via traditional banking instruments.

    The purpose behind this legislative enactment is to encourage digital payments and discourage traditional mode of transactions by the corporate sector in the first phase.

    However, owing to lack of total digital readiness by some corporate taxpayers, the corporate taxpayers are allowed to switch to this mode w.e.f. 01.11.2021.

    In the intervening period they may use digital payments or continue with the existing procedure of making payments by a crossed cheque drawn on a bank or by crossed bank draft or crossed pay order or any other crossed banking instrument showing transfer of amount from the business bank account of the taxpayer.

    Furthermore, any salary paid or payable exceeding twenty five thousand rupees per month has to be made through cross cheque or direct transfer of funds to the employee’s bank account under clause (m) of section 21 of the Ordinance. In order to bring this provision in conformity with newly inserted clause (la) ibid, in case of payments against salary in excess of twenty five thousand rupees per month, the mode of digital payment has been added to the available modes referred to above.

    The Pakistan Tax Bar Association (PTBA) last week in a letter to the FBR chairman stated that the implementation of digital payment was not practical at the moment.

    The PTBA made the following submissions to substantiate its claim:

    (i) It is impossible to make payment to goods carriage/transport sector by the digital means, which will create complete unrest in the goods carriage and transport sector.

    (ii) Presently, port terminal charges, wharfage charges, charges for clearance of delivery orders are paid in advance through crossed cheques or payorders. It will not be out of place to mention here that the port terminal operators and shipping lines, are unaware and are not ready for implementation of the ‘digital mode of payment.’

    (iii) It is routine business practice that advance against delivery of goods, the buyer submits its payment by way of post-dated cheques, which normally accepted by the other party and inherently a secured way of making payment. We are afraid that this law of ‘digital mode of payment’ is surely going to hamper the business activities, as it does not cater the situation and solution of such transactions.

    (iv) The similar issues are likely to arise and are to be faced by the companies for making payments to the growers of various agricultural crops such as fruits, sugarcane, rice, cotton, wheat, etc.

    (v) The various banks have fixed their own limitation on the quantity of making digital / online payments in a day and have also fixed the threshold of the amount and they do not allow to exceed the threshold limit fixed by them. In our view, this also needs a proper campaign without which the implementation of the law is not possible.

    (vi) The digital mode of payment is also impractical and is likely to affect the business transaction in the cases where petty cash payments, in aggregate exceed millions of rupees, which cannot be made digitally.

    (vii) It will not be out of place to mention that online transactions are still considered as unsecured mode, due to various type online frauds and hacking of software.

    Furthermore, a cyber attack on Pakistan’s leading bank last Friday also made the implementation in jeopardy. The PTBA has also pointed its concerns about the cyber security issue.

  • Tax exemption from total income during tax year 2022

    Tax exemption from total income during tax year 2022

    the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has granted tax exemptions from total income during the tax year 2022 to various classes of individuals and entities under Part 1, Second Schedule of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

    (more…)
  • FBR allows tax exemption on import of Chinese drones

    FBR allows tax exemption on import of Chinese drones

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced income tax exemption on the import of drones donated by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

    (more…)
  • Tax rate on right to use machinery during Tax Year 2022

    Tax rate on right to use machinery during Tax Year 2022

    The rate of advance tax on right to use machinery during tax year 2022 will be applicable under Second Schedule of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 updated up to June 30, 2021. The Ordinance incorporated amendments brought through Finance Act, 2021.

    Following is the tax rate on right to use machinery under Section 236KQ of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001:

    Rate of collection of tax under section 236Q shall be 10 percent of the amount of payment.

    Following is the text of Section 236Q of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001:

    236Q. Payment to residents for use of machinery and equipment.—(1) Every prescribed person making a payment in full or in part including a payment by way of advance to a resident person for use or right to use industrial, commercial and scientific equipment shall deduct tax from the gross amount at the rate specified in Division XXIII of Part IV of the First Schedule.

    (2) Every prescribed person making a payment in full or in part including a payment by way of advance to a resident person on account of rent of machinery shall deduct tax from the gross amount at the rate specified in Division XXIII of Part IV of the First Schedule.

    (3) The tax deductible under sub-sections (1) and (2) shall be minimum tax on the income of such resident person.

    (4) In this section ―prescribed person means a prescribed person as defined in sub-section (7) of section 153.

    (5) The provisions of sub-section (1) and (2) shall not apply to—

    (a) agricultural machinery; and

    (b) machinery leased by a leasing company, an investment bank or a modaraba or a scheduled bank or a development finance institution in respect of assets owned by the leasing company or an investment bank or a modaraba or a scheduled bank or a development finance institution.

    (Disclaimer: The text of the above section is only for information. Team PkRevenue.com makes all efforts to provide the correct version of the text. However, the team PkRevenue.com is not responsible for any error or omission.)

  • FBR’s collection up by 30.5% to Rs440 billion in Oct 2021

    FBR’s collection up by 30.5% to Rs440 billion in Oct 2021

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has reported a significant achievement in revenue collection for the month of October 2021, surpassing the figures from the same period last year.

    (more…)
  • Tax rate on immovable property purchase during TY 2022

    Tax rate on immovable property purchase during TY 2022

    The rate of advance tax on purchase of immovable properties during tax year 2022 will be applicable under Second Schedule of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 updated up to June 30, 2021. The Ordinance incorporated amendments brought through Finance Act, 2021.

    Following is the tax rate on purchase of immovable properties under Section 236K of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001:

    The rate of tax to be collected under section 236K shall be 1 per cent of the fair market value.

    Following is the text of Section 236K of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001:

    236K. Advance tax on purchase or transfer of immovable property.—(1) Any person responsible for registering, recording or attesting transfer of any immovable property shall at the time of registering, recording or attesting the transfer shall collect from the purchaser or transferee advance tax at the rate specified in Division XVIII of Part IV of the First Schedule.

    Explanation,—For removal of doubt, it is clarified that the person responsible for registering, recording or attesting transfer includes person responsible for registering, recording or attesting transfer for local authority, housing authority, housing society, co-operative society, public and private real estate projects registered/governed under any law, joint ventures, private commercial concerns and registrar of properties.

    (2) The advance tax collected under sub-section (1) shall be adjustable:

    Provided that if the buyer or transferee is a non-resident individual holding a Pakistan Origin Card (POC) or National ID Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) or Computerized National ID Card (CNIC) who has acquired the said immovable property through a Foreign Currency Value Account (FCVA) or NRP Rupee Value Account (NRVA) maintained with authorized banks in Pakistan under the foreign exchange regulations issued by the State Bank of Pakistan, the tax collected under this section from such persons shall be final discharge of tax liability for such buyer or transferee.

    (3) Any person responsible for collecting payments in installments for purchase or allotment of any immovable property where the transfer is to be effected after making payment of all installments, shall at the time of collecting installments collect from the allotee or transferee advance tax at the rate specified in Division XVIII of Part IV of the First Schedule:

    Provided that where tax has been collected along with installments, no further tax under this section shall be collected at the time of transfer of property in the name of buyer from whom tax has been collected in installments which is equal to the amount payable in this section.

    (4) Nothing contained in this section shall apply to a scheme introduced by the Federal Government, or Provincial Government or an Authority established under a Federal or Provincial law for expatriate Pakistanis:

    “Provided that the mode of payment by the expatriate Pakistanis in the said scheme or schemes shall be in the foreign exchange remitted from outside Pakistan through normal banking channels.”

    (Disclaimer: The text of the above section is only for information. Team PkRevenue.com makes all efforts to provide the correct version of the text. However, the team PkRevenue.com is not responsible for any error or omission.)