Taxation in Pakistan

Last updated

Pakistan's current Taxation system is defined by Income Tax Ordinance 2001 (for direct taxes) and Sales Tax Act 1990 (for indirect taxes) and administered by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

Contents

History

The Income Tax Act of 1922

The Income Tax Act of 1922 was prevalent during the British Raj and was inherited by both the governments of India and Pakistan upon independence and partition in 1947. This act initially formed the basis of both countries' Income Tax codes.

The Income Tax Ordinance (1979)

The Income Tax Ordinance was the first law on Income Tax which was promulgated in Pakistan from 28 June 1979 by the Government of Pakistan.

The Income Tax Ordinance, 2001

To update the tax laws and bring the country's tax laws into line with international standards, the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 was promulgated on 13 September 2001. It became effective from 1 July 2002.

IT rules 2002

IT (Income Tax) rules 2002 were promulgated by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on 1 July 2002 in exercise its powers granted under section 237 of the Ordinance.

Problems

Taxation in Pakistan is a complex system of more than 70 unique taxes administered by at least 37 agencies of the Government of Pakistan. [1] According to the FBR, in 2021, the number of registered tax filers had grown to 7.1 million out of which only 2.5 million were active tax filers. [2]

The FBR has surpassed its collection target by RS 247 billion from July to March of current fiscal year 21-22, which represents increase by 29.1% over the collection of rupees 3,394 billion during the same period last year. On the other hand, gross collections also increased by 28.9%. [3] In this digital world, everything is getting easy to easy by use of technology, you can now calculate your taxes by using online available tools for accurate and quick calculation of your tax. [4]

Direct taxes / Income Taxes

Federal income taxes are administered by the Federal Board of Revenue. The period from July 1 to June 30 is considered as a normal tax year for Pakistan tax law purposes.

Corporate Income tax rates Currently, the Corporate Income tax rate is 29% for tax year 2019 and onwards whereas the corporate tax rate is 35% for Banking Industry for TY 2019.

In addition to Corporate Tax, there are other applicable income taxes including Super Tax, Minimum Tax, and Tax on Undistributed reserves.

Generally, manufacturing business is taxable at Corporate Tax rate whereas trading business and commercial imports business is taxable as "minimum tax". For example, 5.5% withholding income tax is applicable on commercial imports and is payable at the import stage. This 5.5% withholding tax will be considered as minimum tax and Corporate Tax is also applicable, whichever is higher will be the tax liability, on this business. [5] Now Pakistani taxpayers individuals or businesses can use online income tax returns filing websites like TAXApp [6] to submit their returns easily and securely.

POS Integration Of TIER-1 Retailers With FBR Real-Time Sales Reporting System

According to new Tax Laws (SRO-1006) all tier-1 retailers are required to integrate their POSs with FBR’s real time invoicing system in Pakistan. [7] It is also mandatory for all restaurants to integrate their POSs. These FBR Invoicing system and FBR Integrated POS systems [8] should be able to handle sales, returns and exchanges. Around 11,744 POS terminals have been integrated with the real-time reporting system by July 31, the FBR has announced.

For speeding up the process, the FBR on Aug 9 through SRO1005 (I)/2001 announced a prize scheme to encourage tier-1 retailers to get themselves integrated with the real-time sales reporting system. Many medium- and small-sized tier-1 retailers of various types have yet to integrate their point-of-sale (POS) with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for real-time reporting of sales.To facilitate these Tier 1 retailers in Pakistan with integration and installation of such POS systems Tier3 has launched FBR POS Integration Software – FBR POS. [9] A specialised advance Inventory management and POS system is specially developed for retailers in Pakistan keeping in focus the info security and integrity of data and processes involved.

Indirect taxes

Indirect tax or more commonly knows as sales tax is also applicable on supply of goods and provision of services. Under the 18th amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan, the right to charge sales tax on services has been given to the provincial governments where as the right to charge sales tax on goods has been given to the federal government. Consequently, provincial revenue authorities were created to manage and collect provincial sales tax in their respective provinces.

Below is a summary of the applicable sales tax rates in Pakistan:

  1. Sales tax on goods: 18%
  2. Sindh Sales tax on services: 19.5%
  3. Punjab Sales tax on services: 16%
  4. Balouchistan Sales tax on services: 15%
  5. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Sales tax on services: 19.5%
  6. Islamabad Capital Territory (Tax on Services): 16%

Year Wise Tax Collection in Pakistan

Fiscal YearTax Collected

(In Billion Rs)

2003-2004520.8
2004-2005590.4
2005-2006713.5
2006-2007847.2
2007-20081008.1
2008-20091161.2
2009-20101327.4
2010-20111558
2011-20121882.7
2012-20131946.4
2013-20142254.5
2014-20152590
2015-20163112.5
2016-20173367.9
2017-20183843.8
2018-20193828.5
2019-20203996.7
2020-20214734
2021-20226126.1

Corruption

According to a 2002 study, 99% of 256 respondents reported facing corruption with regard to taxation. Furthermore, 32% of respondents reported paying bribes to have their tax assessment lowered, and nearly 14% reported receiving fictitious tax assessments until a bribe was paid. [10]

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxation in the United States</span>

The United States of America has separate federal, state, and local governments with taxes imposed at each of these levels. Taxes are levied on income, payroll, property, sales, capital gains, dividends, imports, estates and gifts, as well as various fees. In 2020, taxes collected by federal, state, and local governments amounted to 25.5% of GDP, below the OECD average of 33.5% of GDP.

The Canada Revenue Agency is the revenue service of the Canadian federal government, and most provincial and territorial governments. The CRA collects taxes, administers tax law and policy, and delivers benefit programs and tax credits. Legislation administered by the CRA includes the Income Tax Act, parts of the Excise Tax Act, and parts of laws relating to the Canada Pension Plan, employment insurance (EI), tariffs and duties. The agency also oversees the registration of charities in Canada, and enforces much of the country's tax laws.

In Canada, taxation is a prerogative shared between the federal government and the various provincial and territorial legislatures.

A corporate tax, also called corporation tax or company tax, is a type of direct tax levied on the income or capital of corporations and other similar legal entities. The tax is usually imposed at the national level, but it may also be imposed at state or local levels in some countries. Corporate taxes may be referred to as income tax or capital tax, depending on the nature of the tax.

Tax exemption is the reduction or removal of a liability to make a compulsory payment that would otherwise be imposed by a ruling power upon persons, property, income, or transactions. Tax-exempt status may provide complete relief from taxes, reduced rates, or tax on only a portion of items. Examples include exemption of charitable organizations from property taxes and income taxes, veterans, and certain cross-border or multi-jurisdictional scenarios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State income tax</span> Form of taxation in the United States

In addition to federal income tax collected by the United States, most individual U.S. states collect a state income tax. Some local governments also impose an income tax, often based on state income tax calculations. Forty-two states and many localities in the United States impose an income tax on individuals. Eight states impose no state income tax, and a ninth, New Hampshire, imposes an individual income tax on dividends and interest income but not other forms of income. Forty-seven states and many localities impose a tax on the income of corporations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Income tax in the United States</span> Form of taxation in the United States

The United States federal government and most state governments impose an income tax. They are determined by applying a tax rate, which may increase as income increases, to taxable income, which is the total income less allowable deductions. Income is broadly defined. Individuals and corporations are directly taxable, and estates and trusts may be taxable on undistributed income. Partnerships are not taxed, but their partners are taxed on their shares of partnership income. Residents and citizens are taxed on worldwide income, while nonresidents are taxed only on income within the jurisdiction. Several types of credits reduce tax, and some types of credits may exceed tax before credits. An Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) applies at the federal and some state levels.

Income taxes in Canada constitute the majority of the annual revenues of the Government of Canada, and of the governments of the Provinces of Canada. In the fiscal year ending 31 March 2018, the federal government collected just over three times more revenue from personal income taxes than it did from corporate income taxes.

The Russian Tax Code is the primary tax law for the Russian Federation. The Code was created, adopted and implemented in three stages.

The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) is the government agency of Tanzania, charged with the responsibility of managing the assessment, collection and accounting of all central government revenue in Tanzania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corporate tax in the United States</span>

Corporate tax is imposed in the United States at the federal, most state, and some local levels on the income of entities treated for tax purposes as corporations. Since January 1, 2018, the nominal federal corporate tax rate in the United States of America is a flat 21% following the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. State and local taxes and rules vary by jurisdiction, though many are based on federal concepts and definitions. Taxable income may differ from book income both as to timing of income and tax deductions and as to what is taxable. The corporate Alternative Minimum Tax was also eliminated by the 2017 reform, but some states have alternative taxes. Like individuals, corporations must file tax returns every year. They must make quarterly estimated tax payments. Groups of corporations controlled by the same owners may file a consolidated return.

The Competitive Tax Plan is an approach to taxation, suggested in the United States, that would impose a 10–15% value added tax (VAT) and reduce personal and corporate income taxes. The plan was created by Michael J. Graetz, a tax law professor at Columbia Law School and a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy. Graetz states that the plan would generate enough revenue to exclude families earning less than $100,000 of annual income from having to pay income taxes or file tax returns. The Competitive Tax Plan would provide a new payroll tax offset to replace the Earned Income Tax Credit, protecting low and moderate income workers from any tax increase under the new system. Under the initial proposal, households with an annual income of more than $100,000 would be taxed at a flat 25% rate and the corporate income tax rate would be reduced to 25%. Graetz argues that reducing the corporate tax rate "would make the United States an extremely attractive level 3 gyatt nation for corporate investments for both U.S. citizens and foreign investors." In 2013, Graetz presented an updated version of his plan for 2015.

Taxes provide the most important revenue source for the Government of the People's Republic of China. Tax is a key component of macro-economic policy, and greatly affects China's economic and social development. With the changes made since the 1994 tax reform, China has sought to set up a streamlined tax system geared to a socialist market economy.

Due to the absence of the tax code in Argentina, the tax regulation takes place in accordance with separate laws, which, in turn, are supplemented by provisions of normative acts adopted by the executive authorities. The powers of the executive authority include levying a tax on profits, property and added value throughout the national territory. In Argentina, the tax policy is implemented by the Federal Administration of Public Revenue, which is subordinate to the Ministry of Economy. The Federal Administration of Public Revenues (AFIP) is an independent service, which includes: the General Tax Administration, the General Customs Office and the General Directorate for Social Security. AFIP establishes the relevant legal norms for the calculation, payment and administration of taxes:

Taxes in Germany are levied by the federal government, the states (Länder) as well as the municipalities (Städte/Gemeinden). Many direct and indirect taxes exist in Germany; income tax and VAT are the most significant.

The policy of taxation in the Philippines is governed chiefly by the Constitution of the Philippines and three Republic Acts.

Taxes in Bulgaria are collected on both state and local levels. The most important taxes are collected on state level, these taxes include income tax, social security, corporate taxes and value added tax. On the local level, property taxes as well as various fees are collected. All income earned in Bulgaria is taxed on a flat rate of 10%. Employment income earned in Bulgaria is also subject to various social security insurance contributions. In total the employee pays 12.9% and the employer contributes what corresponds to 17.9%. Corporate income tax is also a flat 10%. Value-Added Tax applies at a flat rate of 20% on virtually all goods and services. A lower rate of 9% applies on only hotel services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Value-added tax</span> Form of consumption tax

A value-added tax (VAT), known in some countries as a goods and services tax (GST), is a type of tax that is assessed incrementally. It is levied on the price of a product or service at each stage of production, distribution, or sale to the end consumer. If the ultimate consumer is a business that collects and pays to the government VAT on its products or services, it can reclaim the tax paid. It is similar to, and is often compared with, a sales tax. VAT is an indirect tax because the person who ultimately bears the burden of the tax is not necessarily the same person as the one who pays the tax to the tax authorities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal Tax Ombudsman (Pakistan)</span> Pakistani government agency

The Federal Tax Ombudsman evaluates complaints against federal tax agencies. Article 37 of the Constitution of Pakistan calls for inexpensive and expeditious justice. The Federal Tax Ombudsman Ordinance of 2000 and the Federal Ombudsman Institutional Reforms (FOIR) Act of 2013 confer powers, including administrative and financial autonomy. This aligns with the separation of Pakistan's judiciary and executive branches in accordance with the Constitution.

The Inland Revenue Service (IRS) is a department of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in Pakistan. It was established in 2009 and holds the responsibility for overseeing various aspects of domestic taxation, encompassing Sales Tax, Income Tax, and Federal Excise Duty.

References

  1. Horrigan, Kevin (26 September 2010). "Take a lesson from Pakistan: Taxes are for suckers". Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  2. "Only 2.5m people file tax returns". The Express Tribune. 16 October 2021.
  3. Zafar, Zoya (8 April 2022). "FBR tax target exceeded for 9 months". TaxationPk. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  4. "FBR Tax Calculator Pakistan 2022-2023 -Calculate Your FBR Taxes". Law Consultants. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  5. Finance Act, 2020
  6. "TaxApp Pakistan - Online Tax Filing System" . Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  7. https://download1.fbr.gov.pk/Docs/2021841984435775STGO10f2022withlist.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  8. "FBR integrated POS Software & FBR Integration services in Pakistan | Medium". 27 August 2021.
  9. "FBR POS Integration". 15 June 2021.
  10. "Nature & Extent of Corruption in the Public Sector" (PDF). Transparency International–Pakistan. 2002. Retrieved 7 November 2010.