Revenue over AFN 22b collected through telecom tax

 

KABUL (SW) – An estimated AFN 22 billion were collected via the 10 per cent telecom tax in past six years, the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology confirmed on Thursday.

The ministry spokesperson, Masooma Khavari said during the government’s accountability drive program that a total of AFN 22.3 billion were collected since 2015 via the 10% telecom tax. She said all of this fund, which is closely monitored by the real-time system, has been transferred to the government’s kitty.

Ahmad Massoud Latifarai, deputy minister, said in connection with the concerns of the citizens about corruption in the process of collecting this tax that there is a joint monitoring group of the Ministry of Finance, Telecommunication and Information Technology as well as the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to ensure fairness. He said if such a case is observed, heavy fines will be imposed.

Farid Nokht, head of the media department at the Ministry of Finance, acknowledged the transfer of fund to the national kitty, and said that the money has been utilized through the national budget.

The government imposed the 10 per cent telecom tax back in 2015. However, concerns about the lack of transparency kept citizens skeptical.

ENDS

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