Introduction to ACT :

–    A new section 113C titled as “Alternative Corporate Tax” has been introduced through Finance Act, 2014, which starts with a “non-obstante clause” i.e. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Ordinance (Income Tax Ordinance, 2001)

–   Applicable for tax year 2014 and onwards

–    Tax payable by a “Company” will be higher of the “Corporate Tax” (generally includes minimum and final taxes apart from certain exceptions) or “Alternative Corporate Tax” (17% of Accounting Income subject to certain adjustments and exclusions)

–    Rationale for introduction of ACT was explained in the “Salient features” of Budget documents “to discourage perpetual declaration of losses or very low income using tax avoidance means by Companies”.

–    The  Finance  Minister  in  his  Budget  Speech  also  mentioned  that  “ACT  is  being introduced for  corporate  cases where  taxable  income  is  usually far less than accounting income due to careful tax planning to avail all possible avenues of tax avoidance technically.”

International Examples :

–   India

18.5% of book profits of the Company (termed as adjusted accounting profits).

–   Argentina

Applicable at 1% of the value of fixed and current assets.

–   Mexico

17.5% of Flat Tax Base computed on the basis of certain cash inflows and outflows

–   Austria

Minimum amounts of tax have been prescribed for certain types of companies.

–   Mauritius

7.5% of book profits or 10% of dividends, whichever is higher.

Except for Mauritius, in all the above cases, adjustment is allowed for next 10 years.

Effect of non-obstante clause :

–    The provisions of section 113C only have an overriding effect over other provisions of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001

–    In  case  of  any  conflict  between  the  provisions  of  section  113C  and  any  other provision of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, the provisions of section 113C will prevail

–    If, however, there is a conflict between section 113C and any other provision  of a Special Statute, the provisions of section 113C will remain subservient to the provisions of such Special Statute. Much would, however, depend upon the language of such Special Statute and the nature of conflict.

–    The provisions of section 113C are in the nature of “Self Contained code”. Other provisions of the Income Tax Ordinance cannot be applied automatically except to the extent permitted by Section 113C itself.

Effective year & retrospective application :

–    Specifically mentioned to be applicable for tax year 2014 and onwards.

–   Not a one-time levy but also intended to be applicable for subsequent tax years.

–    Companies  following  Special  Tax  Years  already  ended  before  introduction  of section 113C are affected by this levy.

–    Even for Companies following June 30 as their year-end are also affected by this law as all advance tax payments were already made in accordance with normal provisions.

–    ACT,  thus,  has  a  retrospective  effect  for  tax  year  2014  by  way  of  expressed language and not by way of any intendment.

–    Constitutional validity of the retrospective application is to be decided by the Courts. It is, however, generally believed that a retrospective law is valid if made through expressed legislation.

Taxpayers covered by ACT :

–    ACT  is  only  applicable  on  a  “Company”  and  as  such,  all  other  categories  of taxpayers, such as Individuals and Association of Persons are not covered.

–   Unlike section 113, ACT is also applicable on non-resident companies.

–    Section 113C itself does not define the term “Company” and, therefore, the term has to be construed as per section 80 to include the following.

(a)       Locally incorporated Companies, body corporates,  Small Companies

(b)       Modarabas

(c)        Foreign companies

(d)       Co-operative societies, Finance societies and other societies

(e)       Non-profit organisations

(f)        Trust, an entity or body of persons established or constituted by any law

(g)       Foreign associations declared by FBR as a Companies

(h)       Provincial Governments

(i)        Local Governments in Pakistan

Companies not covered by ACT :

–     ACT is specified to be non applicable on Taxpayers chargeable to tax in accordance with the following provisions of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001

(a)        Fourth Schedule (Insurance Companies)

(b)        Fifth Schedule (Mining Companies)

(c)        Seventh Schedule (Banking Companies)

–    By implication, ACT is also not applicable on following companies:

(i)         Companies setting up an Industrial Undertaking between July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2017 and subject to certain conditions, eligible for a reduced tax rate of 20% for a period of five years

(ii)        Non-profit organisations and certain trusts and welfare institutions eligible for 100% tax credit under section 100C

(iii)       Companies  eligible  for 100% tax credit under section  65D not having  any other income

(iv)       Companies  not  deriving  any  income  other  than  exempt  or  certain incomes subject to final taxation or Capital Gains under section 37A

(v)        Non-resident companies not having any presence in Pakistan

Computation of ACT :

–    ACT is defined as the tax at a rate of 17% of a sum equal to “Accounting Income” as reduced by certain specific adjustments.

–    “Accounting Income” is defined as the accounting profit before tax for the tax year, as disclosed in the financial statements, excluding share from the associate recognised under equity method of accounting.

–   Following amounts are also excluded from accounting income for computing ACT.

(a)       exempt income

(b)       income subject to tax under section 37A (capital gains on securities)

(c)        income subject to final taxation under section 148(7) – Imports, Section 150 (Dividends),  Section 153(3) – Resident Suppliers and Contractors, Section 154 (Exports), Section 156 (Prizes & winnings) and section 233 (3) – Brokerage and Commission

(d)         income subject to tax credit under sections 65D and 65E (equity investment in certain Industrial Undertakings)

(e)         income  subject  to  tax  credit  under  section  100C  (NPOs  and  certain  trusts  & welfare institutions); and

(f)          income of the Company subject to reduced rate of tax under  newly inserted clause 18A of Part  II of the Second Schedule

–      The sum equal to accounting income less any amount to be excluded therefrom  (as  mentioned in (a) to (f) above)  is to be treated as “Taxable income” for the purposes of section 113C.

–      For the purposes of  determining the “Accounting Income”, expenses are required to  be apportioned between the “excluded amounts” and the balance accounting income  (being treated as “taxable income”). FBR’s Circular suggests the apportionment on turnover basis.

–      The  Commissioner  is  empowered  to  make  adjustments  and  proceed  to  compute  accounting income as per historical accounting pattern after providing an opportunity of being heard.

–    Tax credit under section 65B (on investment  in BMR Plant & Machinery)  is allowed against ACT.

Corporate Tax :

Defined as total tax payable by the Company, including-

1. tax  payable on  account  of minimum tax (e.g.  Minimum tax  on  turnover under section 113, Minimum tax on builders under section 113A, Minimum tax on land developers under section 113B, minimum tax under section 148(8) on importers of edible oil and packing material, minimum tax under clauses 56B, to 56G for certain persons opting to be taxed under normal tax regime)
2. final taxes payable under any provision of the Ordinance but not including those mentioned in Section 8 (FTS and royalty of non-resident persons not having Permanent Establishments in Pakistan, incomes of non-resident shipping & airlines, dividend income)

Following taxes are excluded:

–    Section 161 (tax recovered from payer due to default in withholding tax compliance)

–    Section  162  (tax  recovered  from  the  recipient  due  to  withholding  tax  non- compliance of payer)

–   Default Surcharge or penalty

–   ACT payable under section 113C

Carry forward of ACT :

–    The excess of Alternative Corporate Tax paid over the Corporate Tax payable for the tax  year  is  to  be  carried  forward  and  adjusted  against  the  tax  payable  under Division II of Part I of the First Schedule for following year.

–    If the excess tax is not wholly adjusted the unadjusted amount is to be carried forward to the following tax year and so on, however, the excess cannot be carried forward to more than ten tax years immediately succeeding the tax year for which the excess was first computed.

–    The  entitlement  to  carry  forward  minimum  tax  under  section  113  will  remain unaffected by ACT.

–    If Corporate Tax or ACT is enhanced or reduced as a result of any amendment or as a result of any order, the excess amount to be carried forward will be adjusted accordingly.

FBR’s computational examples :

Example 1 – Explanation of carried forward minimum tax & ACT

Example 1 – Explanation of carried forward minimum tax & ACT

Corporate Tax (excluding minimum tax)	(A)                 Rs 100
Minimum tax under section 113	(B)                  Rs 140
ACT	(C)                 Rs 200
Corporate Tax under section 113C	(D=A+B)      Rs 140
Excess amount of ACT over Corporate Tax carried forward for next ten tax years	(C-D)                     60
Excess amount of Minimum tax carried forward for next five years	(B-A)                     40

–    Discriminatory  to  Corporate  Sector  which  is  documented  and  subject  to Corporate Regulatory requirements whereas other taxpayers such as sole proprietors and AOPs are not subject to ACT regime. The possibility of extending ACT to other taxpayers cannot be ruled out.

–    The provision penalises the so-called low tax / no tax paying companies by ignoring the overall contribution to the economic development and omitting to take into account the effect of contribution to the Exchequer by way of other indirect taxes, such as Sales Tax, Provincial Sales Tax, FED and Customs Duty, etc.

–    The rationale for 17% of accounting profit is not known and there is no surety if the rate of ACT will remain static in future years depending upon the revenue pressures.

–    Arbitrary  powers  of  the  Commissioner  to  determine  the  accounting  profit especially with regard to the unclear terms “historical accounting pattern” and “profit   before   tax   for   the   tax   year   as   disclosed   in   the   financial

statements.”

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–   Lack of clarity on the basis of computing excluded items such as exempt income.

–    No  rationale  for  apportionment  of  all  expenses  especially  when  there  are identifiable direct expenses and the Company is liable to WWF and WPPF.

–    Treatment  of  non-taxable  items  (such  as  capital  receipts  /  gain  on  sale  of immovable property held for more than 2 years / 25% of capital gains on long term assets).

–    No tax credit other  than section 65B  will  be  allowed  against  ACT,  such  as Charitable donations (under section 61), sales to registered persons (section 65A) and enlistment (65C).

–    Likely to have an impact for small companies entitled to be taxed at a reduced rate of 25% under normal basis.

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–    Companies having brought forward tax losses and unabsorbed depreciation may also be affected by ACT, which is only applicable on accounting profit for the tax year without any impact of brought forward losses and unabsorbed depreciation

–   Following classes of income and persons (otherwise covered by FTR) have not been

excluded from Accounting Income:

(a)       Import of ships by ship breakers

(b)       Non-resident contractors opting for taxation under FTR

(c)        Commission / discount of petrol pump operators

(d)       Income of a CNG station

(e)       Shipping business qualifying for reduced rate on tonnage basis as final tax

(f)        Income from services rendered and construction contracts outside Pakistan subject to tax at 1% of gross receipts

–    Adjustment  of  ACT  against  taxes  payable  under  the  above  categories  is  not provided

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–    No consequential amendment has been made in section 147 thereby creating an ambiguity as regards the payment of ACT by way of advance tax

–   Likely mismatch between the income taxable under FTR (generally on receipt basis)

with the corresponding amounts disclosed in financial statements (on accrual basis)

–   Application of ACT on companies opted for group taxation as single fiscal unit

–       Treatment of remittance of after tax profits by branches of non-resident companies deemed as dividend requires clarity as the same does not form part of accounting income before tax