ISLAMABAD, Nov 5: The tax authorities have paid out Rs21.7 billion refund/rebate to exporters during the first four months of the current financial year against Rs23.3 billion it paid during the same period of last year, showing a decline of 6.86 per cent.

Official figures released by Central Board of Revenue (CBR) here on Wednesday showed that the payment of sales tax refunds registered a growth of 6.3 per cent during the period under review over the same period of last year.

However, payment of customs rebate to exporters during the the period declined by 32.8 per cent over the same period of last year.

Further break up showed that the tax authorities have paid Rs16.5 billion as sales tax refunds to exporters during the July-Oct against Rs15.5 billion paid during the same period of last year, showing an increase of 6.3 per cent.

The tax authorities paid out Rs5.2 billion as customs rebate to exporters during the period under review against Rs7.8 billion paid during the same period of last year, showing a decline of 32.8 per cent.

According to the statistics, during October 2003 the tax authorities paid out Rs3.4 billion refunds to exporter against Rs2.6 billion during the same month of last year, showing an increase of 31.3 per cent.