NA standing committee rejects tax on solar panels' import

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly’s standing committee for finance on Tuesday rejected the budget proposal regarding 18% sales tax on imported solar panels.

Chairman FBR informed the NA body’s session chaired by Naveed Qamar that the sales tax is not imposed over photovoltaic cells. “There is no sales tax over the import of complete solar panels. Tax being imposed over parts being imported to complete them here,” FBR chief said.

“Tax should not be slapped over solar panels if you talk about the renewable energy,” Mirza Iftikhar said. “Imported solar panels are cheaper than the locally manufacture, which are also sub-standard in quality,” he said.

The standing committee’s members rejected the FBR’s proposal with majority vote.

MQM’s Javed Hanif in his note of dissent said that imported solar panels are being dumped in Pakistan and supported budget proposal of imposing 18% general sales tax on solar panels.

“Solar panels would not be manufactured in Pakistan in case of the GST relief,” he warned.