ISLAMABAD: The government has reduced the minimum tax rate to 0.5 percent from 1.5 percent for traders having turnover up to Rs100 million.
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued salient features to explain changes made to Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 through Tax Laws (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2001.
The FBR said that the standard rate of minimum tax under section 113 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 is being reduced from 1.5 percent to 0.5 percent in the case of traders having turnover up to Rs.100 million for the Tax Year 2020.
However, traders having turnover up to Rs.100 million who have filed their returns for the Tax Year 2018 will be obliged to pay tax equal to or more than the tax paid for the Tax Year 2018 for the Tax Years 2019 and 2020.
Moreover, a trader has been defined as an individual engaged in the buying and selling of goods in the same state including a retailer and a wholesaler, however, distributors have been ousted from the scope of this definition.
Under section 153 of the Ordinance, individuals having turnover of Rs.50 million or above in any of the preceding Tax Years are obliged to act as withholding tax agents whilst making payments for supply of goods, rendering of services or for execution of contracts.
Henceforth traders, being individuals and having turnover up to Rs.100 million shall not be required to act as a withholding agent under section 153 of the Ordinance.