The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has not drafted any proposal to reduce/abolish sales tax or withholding tax on electricity bills of domestic consumers.
Insiders, on the condition of anonymity, told ProPakistani that the FBR has not received any specific instructions from the government as of now to prepare a summary for the reduction or abolition of the sales tax or withholding tax on electricity bills.
Till now, the Revenue Division has not prepared any summary in this regard, top officials categorically told ProPakistani.
It is pertinent to mention here that on Sunday Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar directed authorities to devise concrete steps for a reduction in electricity bills and present the plan to him within 48 hours.
The premier’s directions came in an emergency meeting held after three days of countrywide protests against inflated electricity bills. The protests continued today as well, as people protested against the high cost of electricity and the multiple taxes being collected through electricity bills.
Estimates suggest that the government collected more than Rs. 230 billion as sales tax, and withholding tax in 2021-22 through indirect taxation of electricity consumption.
Source: Pro Pakistani