Rulings
Advance rulings may be obtained by non-residents with the exception of permanent establishments of a non-resident.
Intellectual Property Incentives
A person is allowed an amortisation deduction under income tax law in a tax year for the cost of the person’s intangibles.
R&D Incentives
100 percent deduction is allowed for research and development expenditure incurred in Pakistan but is restricted to the extent of research which has been undertaken in Pakistan.
Other incentives
Non-residents operating through a branch in Pakistan can claim a deduction for head office expenses (including regional head office costs) which should be in the nature of executive and general administration expenses. Such expenses can be remitted to the head office without payment of withholding taxes, subject to approval from the State Bank of Pakistan.
Other tax incentives include
50 percent initial allowance (tax depreciation / capital allowances) on plant and machinery
90 percent first year allowance (tax depreciation / capital allowances) for specified companies
90 percent accelerated tax depreciation for alternative energy projects
Tax credit of 10 – 20 percent of the investment made for balancing, modernization and replacement
Tax credit of 100 percent of tax payable for five years to newly established industrial undertakings
Tax credit of 100 percent of tax payable for five years attributable to expansion projects or new projects by an existing
industrial undertaking
Tax exemptions, subject to meeting specified criteria, may be available in following sectors
Power generation
Information Technology
Agriculture
UNILATERAL RELIEF:
A person resident in Pakistan is entitled to a relief in tax on any income earned abroad, if such income has already been subjected to tax outside Pakistan. Proportionate relief is allowed on such income at an average rate of tax in Pakistan or abroad, whichever is lower.
AGREEMENT FOR AVOIDANCE OF DOUBLE TAXATION:
The Government of Pakistan has so far signed agreements to avoid double taxation with 39 countries including almost all the developed countries of the world. These agreements lay down the ceilings on tax rates applicable to different types of income arising in Pakistan. They also lay down some basic principles of taxation which cannot be modified unilaterally. The list of countries with which Pakistan has concluded tax treaties is given below: