All Pakistan Newspaper Society urges Sindh government to withdraw proposed Sales Tax on newspaper advertisements

Karachi: The APNS strongly urges upon the Sindh Government to withdraw the proposed General Sales Tax on the advertisements of newspapers as the governments of other provinces have already exempted the newspapers from GST.

Sarmad Ali, Secretary General, APNS has stated that the Government of Punjab has on the request of APNS, not levied any GST on newspapers whereas the Government of Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa has withdrawn the proposed tax. The APNS has stated that Sindh is now the only province where GST on the advertisements on newspapers is being imposed and hoped that the Sindh Government would also follow the policy of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa.

The APNS has pointed out that the majority of publications in Sindh depend on the government advertisements as the private business is released to major newspapers only, thus the levy of 16% GST would badly affect their economies and would practically reduce the quantum of revenue by 16%. The newspapers are already facing financial crunch due to economic slowdown and are unable to bear the heavy burden of the proposed taxation.

The APNS requests the Chief Minister, Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah to exempt the levy of GST on newspaper advertisements to save the print media from disaster.

For more information, contact:
All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS)
32, Farid Chamber Abdullah Haroon Road,
Karachi Post Code 74400
Ph: 92-21-5671256, 5671314
Fax: 92-21-5671310
E-mail: apns@apns.com.pk
URL: www.apns.com.pk