‘Withdrawal of SST on cellphone services caused Rs10bn loss to provincial administration’

The withdrawal of Sindh Sales Tax (SST) on prepaid and postpaid cellular mobile services by the Supreme Court of Pakistan caused a loss of Rs10 billion to the provincial government.

This was disclosed by Chairman Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) Khalid Mahmood in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at the CM House on Monday.

The SRB chairman said that due to the withdrawal of the SST on prepaid and postpaid cellular mobile service by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, a loss of about Rs10 billion had been calculated so far.

He also pointed out that due to depressed economic conditions during the current financial year a reduction in corporate and government advertisements had also caused a loss of Rs3 billion to the provincial government.

The CM said that he was well aware of the financial conditions of the country; therefore, the SRB must be facing problems with achieving the targets. “I am quite satisfied that the SRB has been showing the best performance,” he said.

Shah reviewed the collections of the SRB, excise and taxation, Board of Revenue, and energy and mines and mineral departments. All the departments have almost achieved their targets and by the end of the financial year they would have fully achieved them.