LAHORE: The Punjab government is again going to tax the data usage by the mobile phone users from July 25, 2015.
It was revoked earlier through a cabinet decision and also later approved by the provincial assembly during the last budget session held in June 2015.
Finance Minister of Punjab, in her budget speech, also announced that government has withdrawn the tax on Internet services. But no notification has yet been issued by the finance ministry so mobile phone companies have started sending messages to their customers regarding this tax. This tax will be implemented only on mobile phone internet and DSL or fixed line internet providers will be exempted from this tax.
In this regard, a notification is expected through which all the cellular mobile operators will be bound to pay 19.5 per cent tax on data usage by their customers. As per the new expected notification, the government is going to exempt the DSL (fixed or wired line) broadband connections and data usage for educational purposes, software exports, educational institutions and student packages.
The Punjab government on May 28, 2015 had imposed 19.5 per cent tax on data usage by internet users. However, when the CMOs raised the issue with the government, mentioning that the move would negatively affect the plans on digitization of the province, the government through a cabinet decision on June 12, 2015 revoked the tax.
