Tax on international calls not abolished yet: PTA

Matter is currently being heard by the Lahore High Court.


Our Correspondent December 05, 2012
Tax on international calls not abolished yet: PTA

ISLAMABAD:


The Pakistan Telecommuni-cation Authority (PTA) took action on Tuesday to clarify media reports claiming the authority had abolished the tax on incoming international telephone calls. The authority said the matter is currently being heard by the Lahore High Court (LHC).


The announcement comes just a day after the PTA had to issue a clarification denying that the ban on the video sharing website YouTube has been lifted.

This recent clarification followed a notification issued by the authority about the decision to suspend interconnection circuits of long distance and international operators.

“It [the notification] is being misinterpreted,” PTA spokesperson Malahat Rab told The Express Tribune.

She further said that the matter was sub judice and the LHC would take it up on December 5 (today).

Malahat Rab

The LHC had earlier sought a reply from the PTA regarding the levy of an additional tax on incoming international telephone calls and had issued a stay order. The court issued the order on a petition moved by Saad Saleem on behalf of Pakistani expatriates financially overburdened by an additional tax on international calls.

Previously, a local telecom company filed the main petition challenging the levy of the additional tax. This company contended that an additional tax on the incoming international calls was a violation of the rules prescribed in section 4 of the Competition Commission Act which prohibits the price fixing and division of markets through quotas.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2012.

COMMENTS (21)

Hina | 11 years ago | Reply

Plz tell whn is da nxt hearing n decision kua hua?

Hina | 11 years ago | Reply

Plz tell whn is da nxt hearing if any ine knows n tax hta k ni

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