The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has launched a single sales tax return (tax period of January 2024) for the telecom sector to be filed in February 2024 through the Single Sales Tax Portal/ Return.
In this regard, the FBR issued instructions to all telecom companies here on Thursday. The old sales tax return will not be available for filing the return for January 2024 relating to the telecommunications sector, FBR added.
According to the FBR’s instructions, in pursuance of the government’s desire to facilitate taxpayers, promote ease of doing business, and reduce compliance costs, FBR has developed a Single Sales Tax Portal/ Return, in consultation with all Provincial Sales Tax Authorities, to simplify the process of filing of sales tax return.
It can enhance users’ experience, minimize errors, and provide a centralized platform for accessing relevant tax information. It will also promote better compliance and facilitate easier communication between taxpayers and tax authorities. Streamlining processes and reducing duplication can result in cost savings for both taxpayers and tax authorities.
Through this portal, sales tax registered persons shall be able to file a single sales tax return instead of filing separate returns to FBR and each of the different Provincial Sales Tax Authorities. Thus, it will save time and effort besides simplifying the return filing process. It will minimize data entry and address the issues of data and calculation errors.
The system will allow the apportioning of input tax adjustments as well as tax payments across the sales tax authorities, eliminating the need for reconciliations and payment transfers. A great benefit of this system is that it will encourage harmonization of tax procedures across Federal and Provincial Government Revenue Authorities, which will promote national unity, FBR maintained.
In the first phase, the single sales tax return is being launched for the telecommunications sector only i.e. (M/S CMPak Limited, M/S Pakistan Mobile Communications Limited, M/S Pak Telecom Mobile Limited, M/S Telenor Pakistan (Pvt.), Limited and M/S Pakistan Telecommunication Company).
The sales tax return for the tax period of January 2024 to be filed in February 2024 for the telecommunications sector will be filed through the Single Sales Tax Portal/ Return, FBR said.
To allow the registered persons to familiarize themselves with the new system, the uploading of sales tax invoices for January 2024 has been enabled. The old sales tax return will not be available for filing the return for January 2024 relating to the telecommunications sector.
