Mobile top ups

In the time of a pandemic, the significance of access to mobile phone services has become more pronounced. In today’s digital age, making communication affordable and ensuring that everyone stays connected should be the government’s top priority. However, the large amount of taxes deducted by the government on mobile top ups says otherwise. I’m a school teacher, and with my meagre salary, it’s hard for me to afford a decent call and data package when a substantial portion of my credit is deducted in taxes. On loading a card of Rs100, I receive only Rs88 while the rest goes to the government as advance income tax even though my annual income isn’t even eligible for income taxes. This deduction can be quite heavy on the wallet of a simple working-class employee trying to make ends meet. There should be a mechanism whereby at least lower-income groups or prepaid reload cards of less value are exempted from such taxes by the government.

Gulshan Naz

Karachi