Incentive Data

Exemption of Sales Tax on import/supplies of Materials and equipment for Port/Zone Developers etc.

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 3, supply of goods or import of goods specified in the Sixth Schedule shall, subject to such conditions as may be specified by the [Federal Government], be exempt from tax under this Act, read with Sixth Schedule of Sales Tax Act 1990: (as below)

Sr. No. Description Heading Nos. of the First Schedule to the Customs Act, 1969 (IV of 1969)
(1) (2) (3)
100A

Materials and equipment [(plant, machinery, equipment, appliances and accessories)] for construction and operation of [Gwadar] Port and development of Free Zone for [Gwadar] Port as imported by or supplied to China Overseas Ports Holding Company Limited (COPHCL) and its operating companies namely

(i) China Overseas Ports Holding Company Pakistan (Private) Limited

(ii) Gwadar International Terminal Limited,

(iii) Gwadar Marin Services Limited and

(iv) Gwadar Free Zone Company Limited, their contractors and sub-contractors; and Ship Bunker Oils bought and sold to the ships calling on/visiting [Gwadar] Port, [by the aforesaid operating companies] having Concession Agreement with the Gwadar Port Authority, for a period of forty year, subject to the following conditions and procedure, namely,–

(A). Conditions and procedure for imports.

(i) This exemption shall be admissible only to China Overseas Ports Holding Company Limited (COPHCL) and its operating companies, their contractors and subcontractors which hold the Concession Agreement;

(ii) Ministry of Ports and Shipping shall certify in the prescribed manner and format as per Annex-I that the imported materials and equipment are bonafide requirement for construction and operation of [Gwadar] Port and development of Free Zone for [Gwadar] Port. The authorized officer of that Ministry shall furnish all relevant information online to Pakistan Customs against a specific user ID and password obtained under section 155D of the Customs Act, 1969 (IV of 1969). In already computerized Collectorate or Customs station, where the computerized system is not operational, the Project Director or any other person authorized by the Collector in this behalf shall enter the requisite information in the Customs Computerized System on daily basis, whereas entry of the data obtained from the customs stations which have not yet been computerized shall be made on weekly basis, provided that this condition shall not apply to ship bunker oils; and

(iii) The goods so imported [and also those already imported under Notification No. S.R.O. 115(I)/2008, dated the 6th February, 2008] shall not be sold or disposed of without prior approval of the FBR and payment of sales tax leviable at the [applicable rate on residual value], provided that this condition shall not apply to ship bunker oils.

(B). Conditions and procedure for local supply:

(i) This exemption shall be admissible only to China Overseas Ports Holding Company Limited (COPHCL) and its operating companies, their contractors and subcontractors which hold Concession Agreement;

(ii) for claiming exemption on goods which are otherwise taxable in Pakistan, the operating companies will purchase the materials and equipment for the construction of [Gwadar] Port and development of Free Zone for [Gwadar] Port from the sales tax registered persons only;

(iii) invoice of the exempt supply, containing the particulars required under section 23 of the aforesaid Act, shall for each supply be issued by the registered person to the operating company mentioning thereon that the said invoice is being issued under this notification;

(iv) a monthly statement summarizing all the particulars of the supplies made in the month against invoices issued to the operating companies shall be prepared in triplicate by the registered persons making the exempt supplies and shall be signed by the authorized person of the registered person. All three copies of the said signed monthly statement shall be got verified by the registered person from the person authorized to receive the supplies in the office of operating company, confirming that supplies mentioned in the monthly statement have been duly received;

(v) after verification from the operating company, original copy of the monthly statement will be retained by the registered person, duplicate by the operating company and the triplicate provided by the registered person to the Collector of Sales Tax having jurisdiction, by twentieth day of the month following the month in which exempt supplies to the operating companies were made; and

(vi) the registered person making the exempt supplies shall keep the aforesaid record for presentation to the sales tax department as and when required to do so.

Respective headings

Source*: (Section 13(1) of the Sales Tax Act 1990 read with Sixth Schedule of the Sales Tax Act 1990.)