ISLAMABAD, Feb 22: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has exempted commercial importers of finished pesticides from the levy of two per cent additional tax.

The decision was taken through a sales tax notification SRO 154 of 2008 issued here on Friday by amending the SRO 645 of 2007.

The government has also excluded the active ingredients of pesticides from the purview of the levy through a notification SRO 91 of 2008. Finished pesticides and active ingredients are already subject to 2.25 per cent additional tax under SRO 645 of 2006.

Through another sales tax notification SRO 155 of 2008, the date for filing of returns for collection of activation charges on mobile phones had been extended.

Through this notification amending the SRO 390 of 2001, the cellular phone companies would now file return by the March 21, 2008 along with their return in respect of telecommunication services provided.

Before the amendment, the cellular phone companies were required to file return in relation to activation charges by March 15. Through this amendment, the requirement of filing separate returns for two types of payments had been done away with.