STAFF REPORT IBD: The political leadership of Pakistan has opposed the recently implemented International Clearing House (ICH) that has increased the call rates.

Treasury legislators belonging to the PPP, PML-N, PML-Q and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) said some officials of the Cabinet Division are behind this decision and warned that the foreign exchange inflow would be depleted by the tax.

The Senators demanded the immediate withdrawal of ICH to normalize the incoming tariffs. The decision, Tahir Mashhadi said, was taken by the PTA when some LDI providers convinced the authority. They later got approval from the MoITT.

“The world is moving towards free phone calling, while Pakistan is enhancing the rates; it is regrettable,” he maintained.

PML-Q Senator Kamil Ali Agha said that remittances by overseas Pakistanis has already dropped by 10 per cent, and the tax on incoming international calls would lead to a further decrease in remittances, which are backbone of the countrys economy.

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