KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has updated sales tax rates on import or local supply of mobile phones to be applicable for Tax Year 2020 (July 01, 2019 to June 30, 2020).
The FBR issued Sales Tax Act, 1990 updated up to June 30, 2019 incorporating changes brought through Finance Act, 2019.
The FBR updated NINTH SCHEDULE of the Sales Tax Act, 1990 to prescribe sales tax rates on mobile phones.
The Table:
| S.No. | Description/ Specification of goods | Sales Tax on import or local supply | Sales tax chargeable at the time of registration (IMEI number by CMOs) | Sales tax on supply (payable at the time of supply by CMOs) |
| 1. | Subscriber Identification
Module (SIM) Cards | Rs250 | ||
| 2 | Cellular mobile phones or satellite phones to be charged on the basis of import value per set, or equivalent value in rupees in case of supply by the manufacturer, at the rate as indicated against each category:–
| |||
| A. Not exceeding US$ 30
| Rs135 | Rs135 | ||
| B. Exceeding US$ 30 but not exceeding US$ 100 | Rs1,320 | Rs1,320 | ||
| C. Exceeding US$ 100 but not exceeding US$ 200 | Rs1,680 | Rs1,680 | ||
| D. Exceeding US$ 200 but not exceeding US$ 350 | Rs1,740 | Rs1,740 | ||
| E. Exceeding US$ 350 but not exceeding US$ 500 | Rs5,400 | Rs5,400 | ||
| F. Exceeding US$ 500 | Rs9,270 | Rs9,270 |
LIABILITY, PROCEDURE AND CONDITIONS
(i) In case of the goods specified against S.No 1of the Table, the liability to charge, collect and pay tax shall be on the Cellular Mobile Operator (CMO) at the time of supply. In case of the goods specified against S.No 2, the liability to pay sales tax at the time of import shall be on the importer, and the liability to charge, collect and pay sales tax payable on supplies shall be on the Cellular Mobile Operator at the time of registering International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number in his system.
(ii) The Cellular Mobile Operators shall, if not already registered, obtain registration under the Sales Tax Act, 1990.
(iii) No IMEI shall be registered in his system by a Cellular mobile Operator without charging and collecting the sales tax as specified in the Table.
(iv) The Cellular Mobile Operator shall deposit the sales tax so collected through his monthly tax return in the manner prescribed in section 26 of the Sales Tax Act, 1990, and rules made thereunder.
(v) The Cellular Mobile Operator shall maintain proper records of all IMEI numbers registered for a period of six years, and such records shall be produced for inspection, audit or verification, as and when required, by an authorized officer of Inland Revenue.
(vi) The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority shall provide data regarding IMEI numbers registered with other Cellular Mobile Operators to prevent double taxation on the same IMEI number in case of switching by a subscriber from one operator to another, and to provide data regarding registration of IMEI numbers to the Board on monthly basis.
(via) The sales tax as indicated in column (3) of the Table above shall be paid by the importer, in case of imports and by the manufacturer, in case of locally manufactured cellular mobile phones.
(vii) No adjustment of input tax shall be admissible to the Cellular Mobile Operator or any purchaser of cellular mobile phone against the sales tax charged and paid in terms of this Schedule.
(viii) The tax specified in column (4) of the Table shall be charged, collected and paid with effect from such date as may be specified by the Board and the sales tax specified in column(3) shall stand withdrawn from the date so specified.
The FBR said that notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the levy, collection and payment of sales tax under Notification No. S.R.O. 460(I)/2013, dated the 30th May, 2013, shall be deemed to always have been lawfully and validly, levied, collected and paid.
