Business

Up 30% to Rs 5.1 trillion by mid-February, FBR collected

Published

3 months ago

Farwa

The total increase in domestic taxes has been around 40%, whilst import duties and associated levies increased by 16% between July 2023 and January 2024.

With the recovery of the GDP and increased inspection of FBR collection, the growth in revenues accelerated.

Up to mid-February, FBR receipts increased by 30% to Rs. 5.1 trillion. Nevertheless, decreases in import tariffs over time and, more recently, import license limits implemented by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to manage the country’s balance of payments in the aftermath of foreign exchange shortages, were mostly responsible for the decline in the rise of import taxes.

However, the impact of improvements in import valuation, which resulted in collections of Rs 151 billion, as well as the anti-smuggling campaign, which saw a surge of about 69% in the current fiscal year over the previous one, are also included in the income collected from imports.

The statement said that there was room to improve anti-smuggling operations by considering expanding Baluchistan’s customs force, which now only has 378 anti-smuggling employees out of 20,000 total.

The mobilization of domestic tax income, which accounted for more than 64% of all revenues received in the current fiscal year, was hailed in the statement as a welcome change.

In parallel, the percentage of import duties has decreased to 36% from over 50% just three years prior. The main drivers of this increase in revenue were the several taxes sources. From Rs. 1,751 billion to Rs. 2,447 billion, income tax receipts increased significantly—by 40%.

Banks, the petroleum and oil lubricants (POL) business, the textile industry, the electricity sector, the food industry, and a number of service industries were among the major income tax payers. Up to mid-February, FBR receipts increased by 30% to Rs. 5.1 trillion. Notable rise was also seen in sales tax receipts, which increased by 19% from Rs. 1,480 billion to Rs. 1,766 billion.

POL, the electricity sector, the food sector, the automobile sector, the iron and steel sector, and the chemical sector were important growth drivers.

The amount collected in federal excise taxes increased significantly by 61%, from Rs. 190 billion to Rs. 307 billion.

Taxes on tobacco goods, the cement industry, drinks, airlines, fertilizers, and the automobile sector were the main causes of this increase. The amount collected in customs duties increased by 14%, from Rs. 552 billion to Rs. 629 billion.

The POL, automobile, iron and steel, electronics, and food industries were among the main donors to customs duties.

Business

Pakistan has amassed $14.5 billion in foreign exchange reserves.

Published

1 day ago

Farwa

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) statistics, which was made public on May 3, shows that the country’s foreign exchange reserves increased significantly to $14.45 billion.

A noteworthy increase of $1.11 billion to $9.12 billion was made in the SBP’s reserves.

The foreign exchange reserves that commercial banks possessed also experienced a notable surge, rising by $2.86 billion to $5.33 billion.

As per the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Pakistan got the $3 billion standby arrangement last month, including the much-awaited $1.1 billion final tranche from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Following the successful conclusion of the second review by the Executive Board of the IMF under Stand-By Arrangement (SBA),” the SBP stated that it had been awarded Special Drawing Rights (SDR) 828 million, or $1.1 billion in value.

SBP reserves for the week ending on May 3, 2024, will show the payout, according to the central bank.

The second review of Pakistan’s Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) was finished by the IMF Executive Board one day earlier, enabling a $3 billion increase in total disbursements under the contract.

According to a statement from the IMF, “the completion of the second and final review reflects the authorities’ stronger policy efforts under the SBA, which have supported the stabilization of the economy and the return of modest growth.”

“Policy and reform efforts by the authorities, including strict adherence to fiscal targets, are necessary to move Pakistan from stabilization to a strong and sustainable recovery,” the statement continued.

Business

In April, worker remittances rose by 27.9 percent year over year.

Published

1 day ago

Farwa

Based on the central bank’s data, the United Arab Emirates (US$ 542.3 million), the United Kingdom (US$ 403.2 million), Saudi Arabia (US$ 712.0 million), and the United States of America (US$ 329.2 million) were the top four countries from which remittance inflows in April 2024 originated.

The SBP said in a statement that “for the first ten months of the current fiscal year, workers’ remittances increased by 3.5 percent cumulatively, with inflow of US$ 23.8 billion, as compared to the same period last year.”

Previous records show that in March 2024, remittances from overseas workers totaled US$3 billion.

Regarding expansion, remittances rose by 16.4% annually and 31.3 percent monthly during the month under consideration.

Comparing the first nine months of the fiscal year 2023–24 to the same period previous year, an inflow of US$ 21.0 billion in worker remittances was observed, up from US$ 20.8 billion.

Saudi Arabia (US$703.1 million), the United Arab Emirates (US$548.5 million), the United Kingdom (US$461.5 million), and the United States of America (US$372.5 million) were the top sources of workers’ remittance inflows on March 24.

Business

Problem with SIM blocking: FBR to “move” court against Telcos and PTA

Published

1 day ago

Farwa

Unless telecom operators block the SIMs of 500,000 non-filers by May 15, FBR is reportedly planning legal action against them.

According to sources, the FBR has conferred with its legal counsel in order to challenge telecom providers, such as PTA, in the Islamabad High Court for failing to abide by directives to disable non-filers’ SIM cards.

Sources also stated that the FBR and Ministry of Finance have decided to take legal action against PTA and telecom providers for failing to carry out the directives to block the SIM cards of non-filers even after more than ten days had passed.

Following a nationwide impasse over the barring of recognized non-filers’ mobile SIMs, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and telecom operators took action.

Tight sources on the matter disclosed that, citing operational and technical challenges, the Cellular Mobile Companies declined to disable the SIM cards of 506,000 taxpayers who had been recognized as non-compliant.

Reportedly, telecom providers argued in a statement that executing FBR’s regulations presents legal challenges.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) called for the authorities to disable the SIM cards of over 506,000 identified non-compliant taxpayers nationwide on April 30, issuing a general income tax order. This is important to note.