Latest news with #Rs415
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Rs415 billion approved for rehabilitation of 'killer road'
The government on Friday conditionally cleared the construction of three different sections of the 'killer road', the Balochistan Expressway or N-25, at an estimated cost of Rs415 billion, which is being funded through Rs8 per liter levy on petrol and high speed diesel. The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) cleared, in principle, construction of the three sections having a total length of 692 kilometers with an estimated cost of Rs415 billion for three different sections, according to the Ministry of Planning officials. Once completed in at least three years, there will be a dual carriageway from Quetta to Karachi, which will also open new avenues of economic development and connectivity. The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal chaired the CDWP meeting. The project, to be executed in three different sections, will be presented before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for its final approval after the National Highway Authority addresses queries raised in the CDWP meeting on Friday. The CDWP has the mandate to approve up to Rs7.5 billion projects and refer the higher cost schemes to ECNEC, which is chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. The CDWP recommended dualisation of Karachi-Quetta-Chaman road having 278 kilometer length for the approval of ECNEC. This route will be constructed with a cost of Rs183.4 billion in three years and Rs33 billion have been set aside in the budget for the current fiscal year. However, given the low allocations in the first year, it will be challenging to complete this major route in three years unless the allocation is increased to Rs75 billion annually from the next fiscal year. The CDWP also in principle cleared the Rs99 billion worth dualization of Khuzdar-Kuchlak section of N-25 having 332 kilometers length. For the current fiscal year, the government has allocated Rs34 billion for its construction. The cost of the Khuzdar-Kuchlak section is less compared to the other two roads due to the award of contracts in the year 2021. About 52% work on this Khuzdar-Kuchlak road is already completed and the remaining work is expected to be finished in two years. The CDWP also sanctioned the dualization of Karoro Wadh section & Khuzdar Chaman section at a cost of Rs133 billion to build 104 kilometer road. For this fiscal year, Rs33 billion have been earmarked for this section. This project will need Rs50 billion per annum allocation for the next two fiscal years to complete the scheme on time. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in April this year imposed an additional Rs8 per liter levy on every liter of petrol and diesel consumed by rich and poor alike to fund these deadly roads. There had been criticism against the Prime Minister's decision due to the fact that people already are heavily taxed and the government should wisely use these resources instead of putting more burdens. The government currently charges Rs75 per liter petroleum levy, Rs2.5 per liter climate levy and 10% custom duty on every liter of petrol sold in Pakistan, making it one of the heaviest taxed products. The petrol is now sold at Rs272 per liter after adding all taxes and profit margins of dealers. But PM Shehbaz reacted to these criticisms and stated that those opposing road projects in Balochistan, were narrow-minded. "We will complete the Karachi, Kalat, Khuzdar, and Quetta highway projects to the highest standard," he had vowed. The premier had said that the initiative to build roads reflected the aspirations of the people of Balochistan and was aimed at enhancing connectivity and ensuring safer travel in the province. The CDWP raised questions about the alignment of roads, revisions in the cost and the land acquisition. Once the sponsoring ministries address these questions, the projects will be tabled before the ECNEC for the final approval. For the current fiscal year, the government has allocated Rs1 trillion for the federal Public Sector Development Programme. Out of this, Rs210 billion has been set aside for various projects of Balochistan.
Express Tribune
10-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Govt slaps Rs415b taxes to raise Rs2.2tr
Listen to article The government on Tuesday proposed over Rs415 billion worth of new tax measures to extract an additional Rs2.2 trillion from the sluggish economy by taxing digital earnings, online services, solar panels, and cars used by the middle class. It also proposed drastic reductions in import taxes to open the economy to foreign competition. The Finance Bill 2025-26, kept secret from the media by cancelling the press briefing, shows the government favouring a 19th-century-style economy by giving some relief on property purchases while taxing 21st-century digital platforms. The bill also proposes banning economic transactions of ineligible persons, including the purchase of property, cars, and investments in securities where assets don't match the purchase. Despite promoting green energy, the government has imposed an 18% sales tax on imported solar panels, raised sales tax on 850cc cars from 12.5% to 18%, and introduced a Rs2.5 per litre carbon levy. A new levy has also been imposed on conventional cars to subsidise electric vehicles. Through the finance bill, the government also amended various non-tax laws and introduced two new ones: the Digital Presence Proceeds Act, 2025, and the New Energy Vehicles Adoption Levy Act, 2025. A senior tax official said the government proposed over Rs415 billion in tax measures: Rs292 billion from Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)-related steps, Rs111 billion by imposing a Rs2.5 per litre carbon levy on petrol, diesel, and furnace oil, and Rs9 billion from the levy on conventional cars. These are part of the plan to collect Rs2.2 trillion in additional taxes to hit the Rs14.13 trillion revenue target for FY26. The petroleum and carbon levy target is set at Rs1.47 trillion. Going after the youth In a highly unusual move, the government aims to collect Rs64 billion by taxing digital and online platforms and courier services. The move appears to protect non-taxpaying retail businesses. Digitally delivered services are defined as those delivered via the internet or electronic networks with minimal or no human input. These include music, video and audio streaming, cloud services, software, telemedicine, e-learning, online banking, architectural design, research and consultancy, digital accounting, and other online facilities. E-commerce is defined as buying or selling goods and services over computer networks via websites, apps, or platforms that allow digital ordering, including via phones, tablets, or automated systems. A new law introduces a Digital Presence Proceeds Tax. It applies to all foreign vendors with a significant digital presence in Pakistan and will charge a 5% tax on proceeds from digitally ordered goods and services, whether delivered digitally or physically. These vendors must provide client-wise information for any local or foreign vendors whose advertisements are relayed in Pakistan. Banks must deduct a 5% tax. For local platforms, a 1% tax will be charged if the supply amount is up to Rs10,000, 2% if up to Rs25,000, and 0.25% if above Rs25,000. Cash on delivery by courier services is now taxed: 0.25% on electronics, 2% on clothing, and 1% on other goods. Online marketplaces allowing unregistered vendors to sell will be fined Rs1 million if those vendors are not registered under the Sales Tax Act or Income Tax Ordinance. Banks, payment gateways, or couriers failing to deduct or pay the tax under Section 160 will be fined 100% of the tax involved. The debt servicing surcharge, currently capped at 10% of electricity costs, will be relaxed to help retire Rs1.3 trillion in circular debt. Income tax There was confusion over the withholding tax on cash withdrawals. The finance minister announced a rise from 0.6% to 1%, but Deputy PM Ishaq Dar later set it at 0.8%. Withholding tax on service provision (excluding IT services) rises from 4% to 6%. Non-specified services are taxed at 15%, and sportsmen now pay 15%, up from 10%. Tax on profit on debt will rise from 15% to 20%. Dividend tax goes up to 25%, and 15% on mutual fund dividends. For the first time, a 5% tax will apply to pensioners with annual pensions of Rs10 million or more. Some relief is given to lower and upper-middle-income salaried groups. The tax rate for incomes up to Rs1.2 million is cut from 5% to 2.5%. It was originally proposed at 1%, but the rate was raised due to a 10% salary increase for government employees. For annual incomes up to Rs2.2 million, the rate drops from 15% to 11%. For Rs3.2 million earners, the rate is reduced from 25% to 23%. There's no relief for those earning over Rs4.1 million. However, the top slab surcharge has been reduced from 10% to 9% to curb "brain drain". Super tax for individuals earning Rs200-500 million is reduced by 0.5 percentage points. Tax exemption on electricity bills in former FATA areas continues for another year. A flat 4% fair market value tax applies on rental income from commercial properties. Buyers from unregistered vendors will be penalised: 10% of purchase-related expenses will be disallowed. If payment is received in cash for a single invoice exceeding Rs200,000, 50% of purchase-related expenses will be disallowed. All entities in a group must derive income under the Normal Tax Regime to claim group relief. The income tax exemption for Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Special Technology Zones (STZs) developers and entities is limited to 2035 or ten years from the start of exemption, whichever is earlier. Real estate Advance tax on property sale or transfer is raised: from 3% to 4.5% for properties worth Rs50 million, from 3% to 5% for Rs100 million, and from 4% to 5.5% for properties over Rs100 million. Purchase tax rates are reduced: from 3% to 1.5%, from 3.5% to 2%, and from 4% to 2.5%, depending on property value. Economic transactions by ineligible persons are banned if the purchase exceeds 130% of their declared total assets. Custom duty The government proposes new tariff slabs of 5%, 10%, and 15%, replacing the existing 3%, 11%, and 16% slabs. The zero-duty slab expands from 2,201 to 3,117 tariff lines. Duty is proposed on 479 tariff lines that were previously exempt. Additional customs duties of 2% on slabs of 0%, 5%, and 10% (covering 4,383 lines) are abolished. Additional duties on 518 lines under the 15% slab are cut from 4% to 2%. Duties on 2,166 lines under the 20% slab drop from 6% to 4%. On 468 lines under slabs above 20%, the rate is cut from 7% to 6%. Regulatory duties are removed on some goods, and reduced for 595 PCT codes. The maximum regulatory duty rate falls from 90% to 50%. Sales tax An 18% sales tax based on market price has been imposed on imported pet food (including food for dogs and cats) in retail packaging, as well as on imported coffee, chocolates, and cereal bars in retail packaging. The government has introduced a 10% sales tax on the supply and import of plant and machinery by industrial units located in the erstwhile FATA/PATA regions. An 18% sales tax has been imposed on the import and supply of solar panels, whether or not assembled in modules or made up into panels. These were previously exempt from sales tax. The government has increased the sales tax on small cars from 12.5% to 18%. The current reduced rate of 10% on local supplies of vermicelli and sheer malls has also been raised to 18%. The government has doubled the sales tax rate to 2% on sales made through e-commerce and online marketplaces. The tax will be collected by banks, financial institutions, exchange companies, and payment gateways for digital payments, while couriers will handle tax collection for cash-on-delivery transactions.
Business Recorder
05-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Rs415 billion in losses raise alarms over tobacco enforcement
While regulators tighten the noose around Pakistan's formal tobacco sector, the real threat is expanding in plain sight. Illicit cigarette brands—untaxed, unregulated, and widely available—have captured more than half the market. They pay nothing, follow no rules, and yet continue to grow. The law is chasing what is visible, not what is dangerous. The formal industry, despite contributing nearly Rs270 billion in taxes each year, now controls only 46 percent of the market. The remaining share belongs to illegal operators selling cigarettes at a fraction of legal prices. This thriving black market is causing an annual loss of over Rs415 billion revenue that could have supported healthcare, education, or debt relief. Instead, it is being lost to unchecked trade networks and lack of enforcement. Much of the blame lies with those who claimed to champion public health. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Vital Strategies ran campaigns targeting the regulated industry while staying silent on the illicit trade that now dominates the market. Last year, the government shut down both INGOs for operating without registration, funding local entities without approvals, and engaging in policy circles unlawfully. Their work, once seen as advocacy, is now under scrutiny for policy interference and regulatory evasion. 'This is not about tobacco anymore,' said Fawad Khan, spokesperson for Mustehkam Pakistan. 'It is about survival. When lawbreakers take over the market and face no consequences, the whole system starts to collapse. We are rewarding the illegal and punishing the legal—and everyone in the country is paying for it.' At the same time, the IMF continues to push Pakistan to broaden its tax base and reduce leakages. But fiscal targets cannot be met if entire sectors remain outside the net. Experts argue that unless enforcement expands to include illegal trade, even the most disciplined revenue policies will fall short. The issue is no longer about raising taxes—it is about applying them fairly.
Business Recorder
31-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Cigarette industry demands effective TTS enforcement
KARACHI: Cigarette industry has urged the federal government for the special measures in the budget for effective enforcement of digital monitoring tools like Track and Trace System (TTS) to collect the billions of rupees additional tax revenue. As per estimates, Pakistan's illicit cigarette market is draining over Rs415 billion annually from the national treasury, shifting an unfair tax burden onto compliant manufacturers, which are the leading tax payer sector in the country. While illegal manufacturers evade taxes and regulatory oversight, legal companies bear nearly all the tax load despite having less than half the market share. This creates a distorted market where legal businesses struggle to compete, and consumers unknowingly support illicit trade through inflated prices and limited product choices. Industry sources said that illicit trade severely disrupts market balance, forcing lawful manufacturers to shoulder disproportionate tax costs. This not only harms the industry's growth but ultimately affects consumers who pay higher prices for taxed products, they added. 'Effective enforcement of digital monitoring tools like Track and Trace is essential to restore fairness and protect government revenues,' they said. Experts warned that if preventive measures are not taken in the upcoming budget, illicit trade will continue to erode government resources needed for public services, hinder economic development, and encourage illegal business practices that undermine the rule of law in Pakistan. Industry experts emphasise that cracking down on illicit trade through enhanced regulatory frameworks can reclaim billions in lost revenue and ensure a level playing field for all stakeholders. They said that the government can earn billions of rupees revenue by fully implementing the track and trace system in the industry. Several commitments have been made in the past to address this issue; however, enforcement actions on the ground have not been taken to curtail the scale of the illicit trade. In absence of the full implementation of the Track and Trace system, illicit operators are growing freely and depriving the national exchequer of much-needed billions of rupees revenue. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
24-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Prices soar ahead of budget announcement
As the federal budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 approaches, the prices of essential food items in the open market have begun to rise sharply. Shoppers and vendors alike are reporting noticeable increases in the cost of basic commodities such as sugar, flour, rice, pulses, cooking oil, and ghee. The supply of these goods has also reportedly decreased, compounding the problem and fuelling further speculation over price hikes. Market sources suggest that traders have begun stockpiling items that are expected to be taxed at higher rates in the new budget. This hoarding is contributing to artificial shortages and pushing prices upward across multiple categories of daily necessities. According to current market trends, the price of live chicken has reached Rs415 per kilogramme, while chicken meat is selling at Rs650 per kilogramme. Eggs, previously priced at Rs270 per dozen, have risen to Rs290. Mutton is being sold at Rs2,400 per kilogramme, and beef at Rs1,400 per kilogramme. Fresh milk is now Rs220 per litre, and yogurt is available for Rs240 per kilogramme. Grains and pulses have also seen substantial increases. Rice is priced at Rs400 per kilogramme, split chickpeas at Rs380, and white chickpeas at Rs390 per kilogramme. Cooking oil and ghee are being sold at Rs510 and Rs500 per packet, respectively. Vegetables and fruits are similarly affected. Potatoes, onions, and tomatoes are now selling at Rs50 to Rs60 per kilogramme. Garlic is priced at Rs200, ginger at Rs600, and lemons have reached Rs800 per kilogramme. Green chilies are available at Rs150 per kilogramme, while a bundle of fresh coriander is being sold for Rs30. Among other vegetables, okra is priced at Rs160 per kilogramme, arvi at Rs200, radish at Rs40, and peas at Rs200 per kilogramme. Seasonal fruits have also experienced an uptick. Apples range between Rs300 to Rs350 per kilogramme, guavas at Rs200 to Rs250, apricots and loquats at Rs200, and mangoes between Rs200 to Rs300 per kilogramme. Watermelons are being sold at Rs50 per kilogramme, while melons and cantaloupes are priced at Rs100. Peaches are fetching Rs200 to Rs300 per kilogramme, cherries at Rs300 per box, and bananas at Rs200 to Rs240 per dozen. Consumers fear that these prices may rise even further once the budget is formally announced, as uncertainty over new tax policies and supply disruptions continue to drive inflation in household goods.
