KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senators Karim Khawaja, Engineer GianChand and Aajiz Dhamra declared the additional taxes on mobile phone users as inhuman as the technology has become every citizen’s necessity.
Almost 80% of mobile phone users in Pakistan are from low-income ranks and should be provided due relief. PPP’s statement said that the government deducts up to 30% on every fresh recharge with network service providers deducting Rs 0.15 on each call in addition to the fixed call rates – which is nothing but purloining.
The federal government already receives billions in taxes from mobile phone users – who are not included in the tax net and the account where this revenue goes to is still unclear, they said.
They demanded the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to take action against the mobile phone companies for covertly deducting Rs 0.15 on each call in addition to the fixed deduction charges. PTA should also take measures for return of such money to the users, they said.
They further demanded the government to provide relief to the mobile phone users and of imposing taxes only on the purchase of expensive mobile phones.
