Electronics and mobile phone traders in Lahore protested on Monday against Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)’s decision of imposing Rs. 1,000 tax on mobile phone sets, which has immediately increased prices of the mobile phone sets by Rs 1,500 to 2,000 in the market.
Office-bearers of Anjuman Tajran Electronics (ATE), Lahore, along with hundreds of traders were present at the protests.
Chairman ATE Babar Mehmood said that the protest would continue till the reversal of FBR’s decision. He said as per FBR notification a flat rate of tax was imposed on imported mobile phones at the rate of Rs. 500 per phone and Rs. 1,000 per smart mobile phone which will only benefit smugglers and illegal traders of phones.
The chairman stated that traders had no other option except protest due to the disastrous impact of this action by FBR. There will be zero tolerance on this issue.
Protestors said mobile phone sales were already suffering due to low buying power of consumers and tight regulation on new sales. They said that this new tax will further worsen the economic condition of over 5000 traders in Lahore only.
Protestors said that this action of government will increase unemployment as thousands of people — attached with mobile phones businesses directly or indirectly — are going to bear the brunt.
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