ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Saturday lifted sales tax on the import of fresh fruits from Afghanistan.

According to the FBR, the country’s supreme tax collection body, the import of apples from Afghanistan is not exempted from sales tax while grapes, pomegranates and watermelons can be imported without paying sales tax.

The FBR has issued directions to the customs collectors of Peshawar and Quetta in this context. It is to be noted that earlier, the FBR was charging 20 per cent sales tax on the import of fresh fruits from Afghanistan.

Pakistan import food items worth over Rs 754bn

On Friday, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had dismissed rumours regarding currency smuggling and said that trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan is ongoing in rupee rather than dollar.

According to a handout issued from the tax collection body, the FBR had dispelled rumours regarding the smuggling of dollars from Pakistan to Afghanistan and said that certain elements are intentionally propagating the fake reports.

The trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan had been carried out in dollars, however, currently Pakistani rupee is being used for the exchange of goods between the two countries, it had said.