All five cellphone operators have been named in the tax evasion case. – File photo by Creative Commons

ISLAMABAD: Five cellular mobile operators (CMOs) have requested Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf to direct the National Accountability Bureau to stop what they said media trial and harassment of telecom companies in the country.

The NAB is investigating the cases relating to the alleged evasion of Rs47 billion by the five telecom operators. The CMOs claim that they have paid the due taxes.

In a letter sent to the prime minister dated July 13, the companies requested the premier for a hearing opportunity to present their point of view. “There is no factor of corruption or loss to government exchequer,” the letter said, a copy of which was made available to Dawn on Monday.

It said that no tax is due on interconnect, as it was mere tax sharing of revenue on which tax has been collected/deposited on gross amount by each telecom operator from whose network the call was initiated.

The letter explained that the notification issued by the Revenue Division on June 30, 2012 was to give waiver from procedural matters to the telecom sector. “In the past similar waivers from procedures for taxpayers were also issued by the FBR,” it claimed.