Pakistan vs Interquest Informatics: JUDGMENT
Case Information
- Court: Supreme Court of Pakistan
- Case No: Civil Review Petitions No. 988–1001/2023
- Applicant: Interquest Informatics Services
- Defendant: The Commissioner of Income TaxIncome Tax is a direct levy imposed by governments on the income generated by individuals, corporations, and other entities within a specific jurisdiction. It serves as a major source of revenue for governments and funds various public expenditures, such as infrastructure projects, healthcare, education, national security, and welfare programs. The tax is generally calculated as a percentage of the taxable...
- Judgment Date: 28 November 2024
The case revolves around the taxation treatment of receipts received by Interquest Informatics Services, a Netherlands-incorporated company, under agreements with Schlumberger Seaco, Inc., operating in Pakistan. Interquest claimed the receipts as “business profits,” invoking Article 7 of the Netherlands-Pakistan Double TaxationDouble Taxation occurs when the same income or financial transaction is taxed twice, typically in different jurisdictions. It can arise in two primary contexts: economic double taxation, where the same income is taxed twice in the hands of different taxpayers, and juridical double taxation, where the same taxpayer is taxed on the same income in more than one country. Double... Convention (DTT) to exempt them from Pakistani taxation. However, the Pakistani tax authorities treated these as “royalties” under Article 12, subjecting them to a 15% income taxIncome Tax is a direct levy imposed by governments on the income generated by individuals, corporations, and other entities within a specific jurisdiction. It serves as a major source of revenue for governments and funds various public expenditures, such as infrastructure projects, healthcare, education, national security, and welfare programs. The tax is generally calculated as a percentage of the taxable....