In a recent meeting of the Senate Standing Committee, an important question was raised about mobile phone taxes. The chairperson of the committee asked whether the government was planning to reduce taxes on mobile phones. This question reflects the concern of many citizens who feel phone prices are too high.
PTA Chairman’s Surprising Statement
During the discussion, the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority made a surprising statement. He said that PTA does not collect taxes on mobile phones. He also shared that even as PTA chairman, he does not know how much tax is charged on each mobile phone. This admission caught many by surprise.
Claim of Very High Phone Taxes
The PTA chairman further explained that a subcommittee was formed under the leadership of Naveed Qamar. This was done at the request of a member of the National Assembly. The member claimed that taxes on mobile phones can reach 66% of the phone’s total price. This claim has worried both buyers and sellers.
Efforts to Reduce Mobile Phone Taxes
According to the PTA chairman, the subcommittee is now working on reducing mobile phone taxes. However, he clearly stated that PTA is not part of this committee. This means decisions about tax cuts are being handled by other government bodies, not the telecom authority itself.
PTA Receives Rs. 2 Billion
In the same meeting, the PTA chairman shared another important detail. He revealed that PTA received Rs. 2 billion from a company last month. He said this money was sent to the Ministry of Information Technology immediately, following the proper process.
USF Funds and Government Dues
The CEO of the Universal Service Fund informed the committee that Rs. 60 billion had been collected in 2013–14 and remained unused. He added that the federal government later took this amount. According to him, the government still owes Rs. 42 billion to the USF.