Abolition of withholding tax on recharge, abolition of GST on calls, SMS packages, good news.

Due to the lockdown in the country, customers are facing severe difficulties in balance load and payments due to which not only the customers but also the telecom companies are badly affected.

In this regard, telecom companies including consumers and related parties have demanded the government to temporarily suspend withholding tax and general sales tax to provide relief to consumers. According to the officials of the telecom companies, the removal of these taxes will reduce the burden on the users especially of mobile broadband and data in general who will be able to spend more internet data without spending extra money.

In the current situation, it has been observed that the demand for communication through mobile phones has increased among people, but due to the closure of industries and businesses, the use of other services of mobile phones has decreased. According to sources in the telecom sector, the country The usage of mobile phone services has dropped by more than 10 percent in the past three weeks during the nationwide lockdown. Like other industries, the telecom sector is also suffering as their incomes are declining. However, the use of mobile broadband and data has increased significantly among a limited segment of the country’s population due to the fact that office work is being done from home. are giving, participating in video conferences while online classes of students are going on.

In the year 2018, the government suspended the withholding tax on the instructions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which resulted in an increase in the use of mobile phone services during this period and an increase in the revenue of the mobile operators. The official said that even in the current situation, there is a need for suspension of taxes, which will provide relief to the people, increase their balance limit, as the mobile operator’s retail shops are allowed to open due to the lockdown in different parts of the country. is not