MQM Senator Declines to Pay Tax Increase on International Calls

A Senate session was organized under the chairmanship of Nayyar Hussain Bokhari in Islamabad. During the session, a call to attention notice was presented on the increased tax imposed on incoming international calls, reported Dawn News today. Upon which MQM Senator Tahir Hussain Mashhadi declined to pay the tax increase on incoming international calls that are made and said the increased tax was a way of extortion, adding that, his party would continue the walk out until the tax was removed.

Senator Rabbani moreover urged that to immediately withdraw the imposition.

Discussing on the notice, Senator Raza Rabbani said that the tax was applied after collusion between the Long Distance International (LDI) providers and the regulating power and it was aspect of a fringe movement to preserve enormous amounts in expenses.

Speaking during the session, Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) Senator Kamil Ali Agha said that remittances sent by offshore Pakistanis had already decreased by 10 per cent, including that, the tax on incoming international phone calls would cause to a further loss of remittances.

Leader of House in the Senate Jahangir Badar said that the new tax was imposed by the Ministry of Information Technology after acquiring acceptance from the prime minister.

Badar said the new tax would curtail grey trafficking in the telecom industry and would also bring in income of 500 thousand dollars each month. The Senate’s session was later suspended until Monday.