Pakistanis Spent Over Rs 317 Billion on These Popular Online Apps in 2024-25
Pakistanis spent more than Rs 317 billion on popular digital apps and services during the fiscal year 2024-25, according to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). This spending covered platforms like Meta (Facebook), Apple, Google, Netflix, AliExpress, Temu, and many more.
The data was shared by FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood in a meeting with the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance. He presented a report under the proposed “Digital Presence Proceeds Levy Act, 2025”. The report shows that Pakistanis made over 42.6 million online transactions during the year.
Pakistanis Spent Over Rs 317 Billion on These Popular Online Apps in 2024-25
To regulate this increasing digital spending, the federal government has proposed a new tax law. The Digital Presence Proceeds Levy Act, 2025, aims to impose a 5% tax on payments made to foreign digital vendors. This includes e-commerce platforms, streaming services, social media networks, and online stores.
The tax will be collected by payment intermediaries such as banks and financial institutions. These intermediaries will deduct the tax on payments made by Pakistani users to foreign platforms offering goods or services in the country.
Pakistanis Spend on Different Apps
The FBR provided a detailed breakdown of the money spent:
- Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) transactions totalled Rs 12.3 billion.
- Apple/iTunes saw the highest number of transactions, exceeding 5.1 million, totalling approximately Rs 6 billion.
- Google followed closely with 2.3 million transactions worth Rs 5.94 billion.
- AliExpress recorded 944,466 transactions amounting to Rs 4.9 billion.
- Netflix had 3.37 million transactions, with a total value of Rs 2.79 billion.
- Temu, a rising e-commerce platform, handled 376,745 transactions worth Rs 1.8 billion.
- Interestingly, platforms categorised under “Other” had 28.6 million transactions, making up Rs 281.4 billion of the total digital spending.
Legislative Progress
The Standing Committee on Finance reviewed several tax-related laws during the session:
- It supported the Digital Presence Proceeds Levy Act, 2025, recommending its passage with minor changes.
- The committee also considered changes to the Islamabad Capital Territory (Tax on Services) Ordinance, 2001 and the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.
- After thorough discussions, the members approved the proposed amendments and suggested further improvements.
The meeting was attended by several key political figures and lawmakers, including Omer Ayub Khan, Dr. Nafisa Shah, Sharmila Faruque, and Ali Zahid, along with the Minister of Finance and Revenue and the Chairman of FBR.
See Also: Pakistan to End SEZ, STZ Tax Breaks Under IMF Deal
