No additional charges on postpaid connection: SC bars phone companies

ISLAMABAD, Oct 16 (APP):Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday barred cellular companies from levying additional charges on postpaid connections till further orders.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the case regarding deduction of high tax and other charges by mobile phone companies.
During course of proceedings, Advocate General Ahmad Awais apprised the court that the Punjab government incurring a loss of Rs 2 billion per month due to the additional charges.
The Advocate General Sindh added that the provincial government was also incurring a loss of Rs
1 billion per month due to such charges.
The Chief Justice remarked that the court was aware of the losses and if you stopped charging commission these losses could be reduce.
Justice Nisar further advised the provinces to curb corruption to avoid such situations.
Meanwhile, counsel for Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) apprised the bench that Rs 25, deducted as service charges, are not given to the board.
“The tax deducted on each call is received by the national exchequer,” he added.
Subsequently counsels for the federal and provincial governments requested the court to grant some time to submit their responses.
The court while granting more time for submission of reply barred phone companies from taking additional charges on postpaid connection till further order.