Tag: sales tax on services

  • Sales tax rates on services provided by freight forwarders, customs agents, others

    Sales tax rates on services provided by freight forwarders, customs agents, others

    KARACHI: Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) has issued updated rate of sales tax on services provided by customs agents, freight forwarders and persons authorized to transact business on behalf of others.

    The SRB issued working tariff updated on November 01, 2020 for implementation of sales tax rates on services rendered or provided within Sindh province.

    Following are the services and rate of sales tax:

    Shipping agents: 13 percent

    Stevedores: 13 percent

    Ship management service: 13 percent

    Freight forwarders: 13 percent

    However, a fixed rate of Rs500 per bill of lading or house bill of lading is also available on:

    (i) services provided by freight forwarding agents in respect of issuance of bills of lading or house bills of lading.

    (ii) input tax credit shall not be admissible.

    Customs agents: 13 percent

    Travel agents: 13 percent;

    A reduced rate of five percent is also available with condition that input tax credit shall not be admissible.

    Tour operators: 13 percent;

    A reduced rate of five percent is available with condition that input tax credit adjustment shall not be allowed;

    Further services provided or rendered by tour operators in relation to Hajj and Umrah tour services are exempted from the levy.

    Recruiting agents: 13 percent;

    A reduced rate of 8 percent is available on:

    (i) recruiting agents who is stand-alone service provider and whose principal economic activity is related to recruitment of individuals or group of individuals for overseas employment in countries outside Pakistan.

    (ii) Input tax credit adjustment shall not be admissible.

    Advertising agents: 13 percent

    Ship chandlers: 13 percent

    Share transfer agents: 13 percent

    Sponsorship services: 13 percent

    Business support services: 13 percent

  • Sales tax rates for construction services updated

    Sales tax rates for construction services updated

    KARACHI: Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) has issued updated rates of sales tax on construction services. The SRB explained the rate of sales tax at normal, concessionary and exempted on construction services.

    The SRB issued working tariff updated up to November 01, 2020.

    Following are the rate of sales tax on construction services:

    The SRB said that a general rate of 13 percent is applicable on the construction services.

    However, a reduced rate at 8 percent is also available on following conditions:

    (i) The benefit of this reduced rate is not available to persons, engaged in providing or rendering the construction services, who elect or opt to pay the statutory rate of tax at 13 per cent under the Special Procedure prescribed by the Board and avail of the input tax credit/adjustment facility as prescribed in the Act and rules

    (ii) Input tax credit/adjustment shall not be admissible.

    Another reduced rate at 5 percent is also available on following conditions:

    (i) Construction service in relation to Government Civil Works for which expenditure is paid out of the expenditure budget of the Federal Government or the Local Government or the Cantonment Board.

    (ii) Input tax credit/adjustment shall not be admissible.

    The SRB said that sales tax on service is exempted on construction services related to:

    (i) Construction work undertaken by a person whose annual turnover does not exceed 4 million rupees in a financial year;

    (ii) Construction and development of EPZ, SEZ and diplomatic and counselor buildings; and

    (iii) Construction of an independent private residential house, other than residential unit covered by tariff headings 9807.0000 or 9814.3000, having total covered area not exceeding 10,000 square feet.

  • Sales tax rates updated on services provided by restaurants

    Sales tax rates updated on services provided by restaurants

    KARACHI: Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) has notified sales tax rates on services rendered by restaurants in the province.

    The SRB issued working tariff on November 01, 2020 updating rates of sales tax on services.

    The SRB said that the sales tax rate shall be 13 percent on services provided or rendered by restaurants.

    The provincial revenue authority said that services provided or rendered by restaurants whose turnover does not exceeds 4 million rupees in a financial year shall be exempted from the levy of 13 percent sales tax.

    However, the exemption shall not apply in case of restaurants:-

    (i) which are air-conditioned on any day in a financial year and which are located within the building or premises of air-conditioned shopping malls or shopping plazas;

    (ii) located within the building, premises or precincts of any hotel, motel, guest house or club whose services are liable to sales tax;

    (iii) providing or rendering services in the building, premises, precincts, hall or lawn of any hotel, motel, guest house, marriage hall or lawn or club whose services are liable to sales tax;

    (iv) which are franchisers or franchisees;

    (v) having branches or more than one outlet in Sindh; and

    (vi) whose total utility bills (gas, electricity and telephone) exceed Rs. 40,000/- in any month during a financial year.

  • SRB issues sales tax rates on banking services

    SRB issues sales tax rates on banking services

    The Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) has announced a 13% sales tax rate on services provided by banking companies within the province. This update, effective from November 1, 2020, clarifies the applicable sales tax on a wide range of banking services.

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  • SRB issues sales tax rate on telecom services

    SRB issues sales tax rate on telecom services

    KARACHI: Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) on Tuesday updated working tariff up to November 01, 2020 for levy of sales tax on telecommunication services.

    The sales tax on services are exempt on telecommunication services involving charges payable on the international leased lines or bandwidth services used by the software exporting firms registered with the Pakistan Software Export Board.

    Following is the table for the application of sales tax on telecommunication services along with tariff headings:

    9812.1000Telephone services19.5%
    9812.1100Fixed line voice telephone service19.5%
    9812.1200Wireless telephone19.5%
    9812.1210Cellular telephone19.5%
    9812.1220Wireless Local Loop telephone19.5%
    9812.1300Video telephone19.5%
    9812.1400Payphone cards19.5%
    9812.1500Prepaid calling cards19.5%
    9812.1600Voice mail service19.5%
    9812.1700Messaging service19.5%
    9812.1710Short Message service (SMS)19.5%
    9812.1720Multimedia message service (MMS)19.5%
    9812.1910Shifting of telephone connection19.5%
    9812.1920Installation of telephone19.5%
    9812.1930Provision of telephone extension19.5%
    9812.1940Changing of telephone connection19.5%
    9812.1950Conversion of NWD connection to non NWD or vice versa19.5%
    9812.1960Cost of telephone set19.5%
    9812.1970Restoration of telephone connection19.5%
    9812.1990Others19.5%
    9812.2000Bandwidth services19.5%
    9812.2100Copper line based19.5%
    9812.2200Fibre-optic based19.5%
    9812.2300Co-axial cable based19.5%
    9812.2400Microwave based19.5%
    9812.2500Satellite based19.5%
    9812.2900Others19.5%
    9812.3000Telegraph19.5%
    9812.4000Telex19.5%
    9812.5000Telefax19.5%
    9812.5010Store and forward fax services19.5%
    9812.5090Others19.5%
    9812.6000Internet services19.5%
    9812.6100Internet services including email services19.5%
    9812.6110Dial-up internet services19.5%
    9812.6120Broadband services for DSL connection19.5%
    9812.6121Copper line based19.5%
    9812.6122Fibre-optic based19.5%
    9812.6123Co-axial cable based19.5%
    9812.6124Wireless based19.5%
    9812.6125Satellite based19.5%
    9812.6129Others19.5%
    9812.6130Internet/email/Data/SMS/MMS services on WLL networks19.5%
    9812.6140Internet/email/Data/SMS/MMS services on cellular mobile networks19.5%
    9812.6190Others19.5%
    9812.6200Data Communication Network services (DCNS)19.5%
    9812.6210Copper Line based19.5%
    9812.6220Co-axial cable based19.5%
    9812.6230Fibre-optic based19.5%
    9812.6240Wireless/Radio based19.5%
    9812.6250Satellite based19.5%
    9812.6290Others19.5%
    9812.6300Value added data services19.5%
    9812.6310Virtual private Network services (VPN)19.5%
    9812.6320Digital Signature service19.5%
    9812.6390Others19.5%
    1[9812.7000Other specified telecommunication services19.5%
    9812.7100Audio Text Services19.5%
    9812.7200Teletext services19.5%
    9812.7300Trunk radio services19.5%
    9812.7400Paging services including voice paging services and radio paging services19.5%
    9812.7900Others19.5%
    9812.8000Tracking and alarm service19.5%
    9812.8100Vehicle tracking and other tracking services19.5%
    9812.8200Burglar and security alarm services19.5%
    9812.8900Others19.5%
    9812.9000Telecommunication services not elsewhere specified]19.5%
  • SRB makes mandatory for banks to provide quarterly statement of taxable services

    SRB makes mandatory for banks to provide quarterly statement of taxable services

    KARACHI: Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) has made mandatory for banking companies to provide quarterly reconciled statement of taxable services provided during the period.

    The SRB issued notification No. SRB-3-4/17/2020 effective from July 01, 2020 to make it mandatory for banking and non-banking financing companies to submit quarterly reconciliation of sales taxable services provided or rendered during the period.

    The financial institutions are required to provide particulars of services or services related fee, commission, brokerage or charges.

    These services are included:

    1. Branch baking customer free and commission
    2. Consumer finance related fee and commission
    3. Card related fee and commission (debit and credit cards)
    4. Credit related fee and commission
    5. Investment banking fee and commission
    6. Commission and fee on foreign trade
    7. Bill discounting commission and fee
    8. Commission and brokerage on foreign exchange dealing
    9. Commission and fee on guarantees, including bank guarantees
    10. Commission and fee on cash management
    11. Commission and fee on remittances, including home remittances
    12. Commission and fee on bancassurance
    13. Commission on commodity operations
    14. Commission on handing of federal government or provincial or local government businesses
    15. Fee or rent of safe deposit lockers and safe vaults
    16. Services in respect of Hajj and Umrah
    17. Services in respect of Musharika and Modarba
    18. Services in respect of utility bills collection
    19. Services provided as a banker to an issue
    20. Services provided as a consultant to an issue
    21. Financial leasing
    22. Commodity or equipment leasing
    23. Other leasing
    24. Services in respect of Ijarah
    25. Funds management services
    26. Asset management services
    27. Advisory services
    28. Consultancy services
    29. Other services

    The reconciliation should include sales tax withheld by the banking/non-banking financial company as a withholding agent.

    Sales tax of the banking/non-banking financial companies services withheld, if any, by others as withholding agents.

  • Sindh proposed to exempt sales tax on export of services

    Sindh proposed to exempt sales tax on export of services

    KARACHI: Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) has been proposed to exempt sales tax on export of services.

    Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) in its proposals for budget 2020/2021 presented to SRB, said that as per the Fifth Schedule to the Sales Tax Act 1990, exports made by a registered person are zero-rated.

    “Presently, there is no concept of zero-rating in Provincial Sales Tax Acts,” it said.

    Resultantly, the companies providing services to foreign companies and bringing foreign exchange in Pakistan need to pay sales tax from their own account.

    The OICCI recommended that a separate schedule should be inserted in Provincial Sales Taxes Act for zero rating. “All services provided to foreign companies outside Pakistan which result in inflow of foreign exchange and export of all taxable services should be exempt from Sind Sales Tax.”

    Giving rationale to the proposals, the OICCI said that this will result in harmonization of tax laws in Pakistan and would ensure convenient compliance with tax laws through uniform systems across the country and would also contribute towards the economic development of the Country.

    The OICCI highlighted another issue that all pharmaceutical products are exempt from Sales Tax.

    Consequently any sales tax paid by pharmaceutical industry on goods or services purchased, can neither be passed on to the consumer nor can be claimed as input, and has to be absorbed by the manufacturers in their costs.

    It is resulting in increasing the cost of doing business and is also against the philosophy of sales tax which is supposed to be borne by the consumer.
    Therefore, it is recommended that services received by pharmaceutical industry should be zero rated.

    Since pharmaceuticals prices are controlled, sales tax paid on inputs can neither be added to the selling price nor separately charged.

  • Sindh urged to bring down sales tax rate at 10 percent

    Sindh urged to bring down sales tax rate at 10 percent

    KARACHI: Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) has been suggested to bring down sales tax on services rate to 10 percent from existing 13 percent to encourage registration of more taxpayers.

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  • Sindh exempts sales tax on Ehsaas Emergency cash transfer

    Sindh exempts sales tax on Ehsaas Emergency cash transfer

    KARACHI: Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) on Wednesday exempted sales tax on services to banking transfers made to Ehsaas Emergency Program.

    In a notification, the SRB said that the Sindh government had exempted the sales tax on the amount of commission (tariff heading 9819.1300) paid by the banks to their branchless banking retailers in Sindh on account of disbursement of financial assistance under the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Transfer Program of the government of Pakistan, subject to the conditions that the amount on account of such commission or service fee is not deducted from the amount of the financial assistance so transferred to the beneficiary, receiving the financial assistance, is paid the full amount of the assistance transfer.

    The SRB said that the exemption has been granted till 23:59 hours on June 30, 2020.

  • FBR notifies zero percent sales tax on services for construction industry

    FBR notifies zero percent sales tax on services for construction industry

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Monday notified sales tax on service at zero percent for construction industry as part of incentives announced by the prime minister for construction sector.

    The FBR issued SRO 326(I)/2020 to amend Islamabad Capital Territory (Tax Services) Ordinance 2001, to reduce the sales tax on services at zero percent from five percent.

    The FBR said that services provided by property developers and promoters (including allied services) relating to low-cost housing schemes sponsored or approved by Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority or under Government’s Ehsaas program, the rate of tax shall be zero percent subject to the condition that no input tax adjustment or refund shall be admissible.