The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has assured the computer industry of withdrawal of 15 percent general sales tax (GST) imposed on import of computers in the budget, within a week.
The Pakistan Computer Association (PCA) on Monday said that the CBR had given an assurance to do away with the 15 percent GST on computers import 'within a week'.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, the PCA president, Munawar Iqbal, said that negotiations with CBR officials were underway in this regard. Giving details of PCA's one-point agenda meeting with CBR Chairman, Iqbal said that the Chairman had conceded the loss, which the industry bore after the levy of the GST.
The CBR is also ready to amend the Finance Bill 2006, but legal process of passing any proposed amendment by the Parliament has to be followed, as the amendment has been incorporated in the Sales Tax Act, 1990 during Budget 2006-07. Any amendment in the Act requires fulfilment of all legal processes, he added.
Responding to a question on refund of the GST paid till the settlement of the issue, he said that the mechanism would be sorted out for this purpose.
In reply to a question on keeping the GST intact, Feroz Ali from Karachi said: "We would not only stage protest but also raise the issue at every forum".