Categories: News

Breaking: Punjab government removes 19.5% Internet tax

Earlier this month, the Punjab Government quietly instated 19.5% tax on internet connections that either exceeded 1500 PKR / month or had speeds greater than 2Mbps. The law struck a nerve of many citizens who took to the social media outlets to express their concerns. It appears that the voices raised on social media have indeed prevailed.

Read More: Punjab Internet users above 2Mbps have to pay outrageous 19.5% Tax on all Internet connections

Dr. Ayesha Ghaus, the Finance Minister of Punjab, made an official announcement earlier today in the Punjab Assembly that the government has decided not to pursue the previously imposed internet tax in Punjab.

All the major telecom companies feared losing an enormous 3G / 4G subscribers. They raised their voice through letters written to the government saying that such a tax will be counter productive for the progress of technology in Pakistan.

Read More: Pakistani citizens paying highest taxes globally for using Telecom services

To help further the cause and send a message, many sites and blogs participated in a blackout to oppose the tax. These sites included Siasat.pk, ilmkiduniya.com, Urdupoint.com, and many other digital publications who blacked out their main page in protest. Apart from them, many citizens and celebrities took to social media and participated in the blackout too. All these efforts led Punjab government to revoke the internet taxes. Now, people can stay subscribed to high-speed internet packages both on the cellular data plan or fixed lines.

It’s worth mentioning, that while this is a big victory for Punjab, the tax is still in effect for the KPK and Sindh Regions. The future of this law in these provinces is still the million dollar question.

Share your thoughts regarding the dismissal of the law in the comment section below.

Sponsored
Rizwan Anwer

Share
Published by
Rizwan Anwer

Recent Posts

Greentree Holdings Ltd Aims for 35% Stake in TRG Pakistan

AKD Securities, the manager of the offer, informed the main stock exchange on Monday that…

7 mins ago

PTV Faces Criticism Over Misleading Chemotherapy Statements

ISLAMABAD: On Pakistan Television (PTV), medical experts raised serious concerns over false information on chemotherapy…

36 mins ago

OpenAI Rolls Out Advanced Voice Mode for macOS ChatGPT App

OpenAI has introduced Advanced Voice Mode to ChatGPT's desktop applications for macOS apps, enabling users…

47 mins ago

Garena Free Fire India Launch Rumors: What Fans Need to Know

Reports suggest that Garena Free Fire is set to make a much-anticipated return to India.…

19 hours ago

Albania Bans TikTok for One Year: Here’s the Reason!

The Albanian government has announced a ban on the social media platform TikTok for a…

23 hours ago

Google Pixel 9 Pro vs. 8 Pro: Biggest Upgrades Compared

The launch of Google’s latest Pixel lineup brings an exciting chance to compare the new…

1 day ago