ISLAMABAD, May 7: The tax authorities have paid Rs54.606 billion rebate/refund to exporters during the July-April period of the current financial year against Rs59.387 billion over the corresponding period of last year, showing a decrease of 8.05 per cent.

According to official figures released by the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) here on Tuesday, tax authorities paid Rs38.953 billion sales tax refund to exporters during the period under review this year against Rs33.515 billion of last year, showing an increase of 16.2 per cent.

The payment of rebate to exporters declined by 40 per cent during the same period this year to Rs15.653 billion rebate to exporters against Rs25.872 billion of last year.

On monthly basis, the tax authorities paid Rs3.805 billion sales tax refund to exporters during the month of April 2003 against Rs2.955 billion over the same month of last year, showing an increase of 29 per cent.

Under the customs rebate, the tax authorities paid Rs0.906 billion customs rebate to exporters during the same month this year against Rs2.067 billion of the last year, showing a decline of 56 per cent.

According to the officials, the major decrease was registered in the payment of duty drawback to exporters during the July-April period of the current financial year in comparison to the same period of last year.