Finance ministry unveils new tax relief measures in 4 areas — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Finance (MoF) says new tax relief measures have been approved in four areas, including reduced income tax for companies and private healthcare centres, an increased tax exemption threshold for individuals, lower taxes on goods transportation and revised fuel taxes. Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi, deputy prime minister for administrative affairs, announced the measures at a ceremony, saying the new tax reductions had been approved based on an order from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) leadership covering legal entities, individuals, goods transportation and fuel sectors. Hanafi said that, except for mining extraction companies, all other legal entities — including companies and private healthcare centres — would now pay 10 percent income tax, down from the previous 20 percent. Regarding individual income tax, he said the tax exemption threshold had been doubled. Previously, individuals with annual incomes of up to 60,000 afghanis were exempt from tax, but the limit has now been raised to 120,000 afghanis. He added that individuals with annual incomes between 120,000 and 1.2 million afghanis would pay 10 percent tax, while those earning more than 1.2 million afghanis annually would be subject to 15 percent tax. Hanafi said the tax on goods transportation had also been reduced from 1 percent to 0.5 percent. Regarding fuel taxes, he said companies importing gas and oil…