ISLAMABAD: The Finance Division and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) need to understand the issues being faced by the IT and telecom sector, but their mindsets revolve only around “atta, dal [flour and pulses]”, said Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Aminul Haque.

“The tax rate was increased on mobile phones which would generate around Rs200 million, but I pleaded before the prime minister in the cabinet not to increase tax on mobile phones and they would generate in billions,” said the minister while addressing at the opening ceremony of 22nd ITCN Asia International IT & Telecom Show, here on Thursday.

The minister later talking to media persons said that like other industries, the IT and telecom industry is facing problems due to non-opening of letters of credit (LCs). The ministry is in touch with the State Bank and the Ministry of Finance on the issue, as non-opening of LCs has affected the quality of service in the telecom sector.

He further said that due to the absence of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chairman, only day-to-day affairs were being run. “The PTA is a regulatory body and comes under the Cabinet Division. We are discussing this matter with the Cabinet Division and will also meet the prime minister soon and take up the issue of appointment of the PTA chairman.”

Addressing the opening ceremony, he said all ministries were digitised and the next target was to make Parliament paperless.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023