Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Qasim Gillani has criticized the federal budget for failing to provide relief on mobile phone taxes and duties, announcing plans to move an amendment to the Finance Bill.
In a statement, Gillani said the government had neither reduced the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) tax nor abolished the regulatory duty on mobile phones.
He also criticized the decision to retain the non-adjustable withholding tax and the mobile levy, saying the budget had failed to address key concerns related to mobile phone taxation.
Gillani said an amendment to the Finance Bill would be moved and the matter would be taken back to the relevant parliamentary committee.
“Unfortunately, the government has neither reduced the PTA tax nor abolished the regulatory duty on mobile phones. It has also failed to remove the non-adjustable withholding tax and the mobile levy,” he said.
“The game is on,” Gillani added, signaling that efforts to seek changes to the existing tax regime on mobile phones would continue during the budget process.