KARACHI, Sept 11: The Central Board of Revenue has urged the drug manufacturers not to file the GST refund claims directly to any collector.

In this regard, the CBR has asked the Pharma Bureau (PB) and Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) to collect the relevant information from their members and furnish them to the CBR.

The CBR has sought information regarding: a) serial number, b) name, address and sales tax registration number, c) tax payable for period 01.08.2002 to 23.08.2002, d) amount of sales tax paid for July 1-31, 2002, and e) if determined income tax refund is due, amount and details.

In a notification, issued to PB, PPMA and Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association (PCDA) on Wednesday, the CBR said there was no need to furnish supporting documents to the Board which may be kept ready for scrutiny in due course.

The government has also entitled the commercial importers of medicines, imported between July 1, and Aug 22, 2002, to the above refund package. However, fulfilment of their legal obligations, inter alia, under corporate tax law, would be a condition precedent for the subject refund/adjustment.

In the notification, the CBR has requested PCDA chairman Ilyas Nanitalwala to furnish the relevant information in respect of commercial importers (members of the PCDA). The following information is required: a) serial number, b) name, address and sales tax registration number, c) amount of sales tax paid in August 2, 2002, d) amount of sales tax paid in July, e) if determined income tax refund due, amount and details, and f) remarks (please clarify if operating under Section 143B of Income Tax Ordinance 1979).

The CBR issued this notification regarding the GST refund on domestically manufactured stocks on which various decisions had been taken in a meeting between the finance minister and pharma sector people on September 6.

The following decisions were taken in the September 6 meeting: The manufacturers may not deposit sales tax on medicines supplied during August 1-22, 2002.

The GST deposited by the manufacturers for the period with effect from July 1-31, 2002 will be allowed as refund. Refunds would be adjustable against income tax liability unless there is already some determined refund of income tax, in which case GST refund will be paid in cash.

PPMA and PB will make all out efforts to ensure that the containers/packers/bottles, etc., of medicines in the market will be defaced so far as entries relating to the GST are concerned.