LAHORE, Feb 27: If The government stops collecting taxes through electricity bills, tariff can be brought down by 15 to 23 per cent.

Sources in Wapda claim that the authority collected over Rs32 billion in general sales tax, income tax and electricity duty during the last fiscal year. All this amount was transferred to the government and authority did not receive even a penny as collection charges.

Though the authority has been resenting “its use as a tax collection agent”, the government insists that levying taxes was its prerogative and authority.

The authority has been collecting taxes under the Sales Tax Act of 1990, Income Tax Ordinance of 2001 and Electricity Duty under Finance Act, 1964.