FBR nominates focal persons for resolving issues of IT industry

FBR nominates focal persons for resolving issues of IT industry

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has nominated focal persons for resolving issues related IT industry.

The following chief commissioners Inland Revenue (by designation) are nominated as focal persons for resolving problems and issues related to IT industry for the regions mentioned against each:

Chief Commissioners – IR, Corporate Tax Office (CTO), Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi have been nominated as focal person for resolving problems and issues related to IT Industry regarding matter pertaining to Inland Revenue field formations within Lahore, Islamabad & Rawalpindi and Karachi.

READ MORE: No audit of IT sector due to fixed tax regime: FBR chairman

In October 2022, FBR Chairman Asim Ahmad said there is no audit of the IT sector due to fixed tax regime. There is no audit of IT sector export-oriented companies through budgetary measures in the current financial year for ensuring ease of doing business and reducing the cost of tax compliance.

“As fixed and final tax regime has been introduced in this fiscal year therefore, no tax or audit notices will be sent to the IT sector professionals and easier documentation will be the priority,” FBR chairman said.

READ MORE: Electricity withholding tax not applicable on ATL domestic consumers

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on youth affairs Miss Shaza Fatima and the Prime Minister’s task force on Information technology and Telecom sector, convened a meeting in the Prime Minister’s office to discuss IT sector exports taxation issues and the impact thereof particularly of small and medium IT companies and software houses, with Chairman FBR Asim Ahmad, officials of the Ministry of IT and representatives of PASHA.

The Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Shareef constituted a task force to devise ways to increase the Information Technology exports by $3 billion till 2023.

On the note of exemption from the proposed 0.25 per cent tax, this will remain and it is a quarter of what the other exporters pay.

In the Final Tax Regime, the Federal Board of Revenue has agreed in principle to resolve sales tax registration and return filing issues.

READ MORE: Tax rates on goods, passenger transport vehicles during 2022-2023

The definitions of IT in the June 2022 Finance Act were deliberated upon, and found to be all inclusive. The Federal Board of Revenue has also agreed in principle to propose necessary changes in law for all IT exports to attain the benefit of final tax regime.

In principle the FBR agreed upon the proposal that if the Provincial consensus is reached, Federal Excise Duty (FED) can be reduced from 19.5 per cent to 17 per cent for Telecom sector.

The funds received by the IT sector through applications like Payoneer etc. will be given the benefit of final tax regime through necessary changes in the law, if required.

READ MORE: FBR notifies tax rates on brokerage, commission during 2022-2023