National
May 25, 2021
ISLAMABAD: The government is contemplating upon different options to provide relief to the country’s giant multinational companies including slashing down turnover tax from the existing rate of 1.5 per cent to 0.5 per cent in the upcoming budget.
On a unanimous charter of demands presented by three chambers including Overseas International Chambers of Commerce and Industries (OICCI), Pakistan Business Council (PBC) and American Business Council (ABC) during their virtual meeting with Federal Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin on Monday, they tabled 10 major demands and reduction in the turnover tax at the existing rate of 1.5 per cent was described as a matter of their survival so they demanded reducing it to 0.5 per cent in the upcoming budget. The FBR high-ups were also present in the meeting. All three chambers were unanimous in their demand that this turnover tax should be imposed on the basis of profits instead of turnover, but the government indicated to give consideration to reduce its rate. There was some specific sector where it was demanded that the rate of the turnover tax should be reduced to 0.25 per cent.