ISLAMABAD: The Association of Builders and Association (ABAD) suggested a f
ixed tax regime for upcoming budget 2017-18.
Documents available with Daily Times stated that ABAD has
proposed the regime for project approved after July 1, 2016.
“Project approved earlier may be given an option either to opt for the prevailing system of assessment or prefers to go for f
ixed tax on their already ongoing projects. This may encou
rage the tax payers to opt for fixed Tax,” document added.
ABAD further
proposed, “No question sho
uld be asked for the source of funding to anyone who buys his first unit in Pakistan, this encou
rage the Pakistani expatriate to contribute in Pakistan’s real estate sector.”
The incentive sho
uld be available for at least three years in the same way it was available for investment in share through stock exchange.
Document read that the exemption for withholding tax on low cost properties sho
uld be enhanced from the existing Rs 4 million to Rs 5 million. ?
About the real estate valuation and taxation, ABAD
proposed to FBR that undervaluation and rationalisation of property valuation tables and transfer taxes at the provincial and federal level are a constant source of frustration and confusion for ABAD members and their eventual customers.
“We
propose that the federal government and provincial government work together to create a single valuation table while simultaneously lower the federal and provincial taxes so that the property is transferred at actual value.”
ABAD suggests that the ICT administration, ABAD, FBR and other stakeholders develop a working group to finalise these modalities and implement this for the next budget.
ABAD recognises the quantum of revenue that federal and provincial taxation bring to the national kitty through proper
ty transfer charges.
ABAD has
proposed in its budget
proposals that areas where valuation has been wrongly done may be rectified or else the seller may be allowed to sell his property to FBR as per valuation table on payment within 60 days.
“We recommend that FBR meets with the stakeholders of all areas to rectify valuation distortions that have raised valuation beyond actual market values.”
The federal government may charge 1 percent in total for withholding tax, advance income tax and capital gain tax from buyers and sellers (0.5% each). Prevailing federal government taxes charged by FBR on proper
ty transactions are approximately 3% to 6% of FBR valuation table excluding capital gain tax. The federal government will charge 3% to 6% of FBR value as per today’s valuation or 1% of fair market value whichever (total taxes) is higher. This may result in increasing the revenue many folds.
The total provincial and local government taxes, stamp duty, registration charges, capital value tax and town tax must not exceed 1% of sale deed. The prevailing charges are 7.5% of sale deed amount as per DC rate which is inclusive of registration charges, capital value tax, town tax and will be brought down to 1%
proportionally, ABAD stated.