Taxation

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued notices to around 115,340 unregistered persons under Section 114 of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 across the country. According to sources, the board has obtained financial details of around 115,340 unregistered persons and these individuals, who made huge banking transactions, owned luxurious vehicles and properties, remained non-filers in last financial year.
Keeping the said in view, the FBR has issued notices under Section 114 of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 in order to persuade them to e-file income tax returns for Tax Year 2018-19, sources said and added that the board had complete financial details of these individuals related to bank accounts, vehicles and properties and if they did not comply with the notices and remained unable to enroll themselves with tax system, forceful measures would be taken to bring them into the tax net.

Replying to a question, sources said that around 20,000 notices have only been issued in Karachi while 14,700 in Lahore, 2,271 in Abbottabad, 5,480 in Bahawalpur, 6,170 in Faisalabad, 3,770 in Gujranwala, 5,980 in Hyderabad, 2,100 in Islamabad, 10,150 in Multan, 8,900 in Peshawar, 7,000 in Quetta, 5,520 in Sargodha, 7,600 in Sialkot, 4,800 in Sukkur, 8 in Sahiwal and one notice was served at FBR-HQ.

Sources said that the board had adopted zero-tolerance policy for broadening of tax base (BTB) and added that BTB unit Karachi has recently issued 250,000 notices on the basis of the data obtained from power and gas companies.

They said that the zone had initiated this massive exercise on the basis of the data of commercial and industrial consumers of power and gas companies and found such myriad number of unregistered power and gas consumers, having commercial and industrial power and gas connections. Furthermore, they said that notices were issued under section 176 of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 to 250000 industrial and commercial power and gas connection holders against their billings for the month of July 2019, of which around 6000 notices were issued to unregistered gas consumers while rest of the notices were released to unregistered power consumers.

Taxation

Pakistan Tax Advisors Association (PTAA) has urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to avoid putting pressure on taxpayers, tax consultants, advocates and chartered accountants to ensure filing of 2.5 million income tax returns by September 30, 2019.According to a communication of PTAA Chairman Javed Iqbal Qazi with the FBR on Wednesday, with reference to the directions issued vide C. No. 2(1) cond/I.Tax/2018 dated 05.09.2019 by the Member Operations Inland Revenue to all Chief Commissioner Inland Revenue regarding extension of income tax returns/wealth statements conditionally for Tax Year 2019, it is submitted that this circular/letter is premature at this stage as firstly, the FBR has to allow 92 days from the date of putting the correct/ functional income tax return/wealth statement on the IRIS system for filing and then the question of extension of income tax return will arise.

At present, taxpayers have started filing returns through their authorized representatives although the system has a few functional problems, Qazi said.

The chairman PTAA noted that 2.5 million income tax returns were filed up to August 9, 2019 and the FBR expects that 2.5 m returns also be filed within 19 days till September 30. Last year 405 days were allowed to the tax payers and 2.5 million returns were filed.

This year FBR is putting pressure on all the tax payers, tax consultants, advocates & chartered accountants to achieve the desired target which is not possible in any case up to 30.09.2019.Instead of putting the correct income tax return/wealth statement on 1st of July, 2019 on IRIS System, the FBR has proved its worth by building/putting the pressure on the tax payers & relevant personnel which is not only unlawful but all also against the principle of natural justice and fair play, the chairman PTAA stated.

Through this letter the PTAA is also requesting the Prime Minister to redress this problem in the interest of the revenue based on the rights due to the taxpayers under the Constitution and Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 and FBR be directed to extend the date of submission of income tax returns/wealth statements to December 15, 2019 instead of September 30, 2019, Qazi added.

Taxation

Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Shabbar Zaidi said on Monday that FBR joint teams visited leading malls at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad for verification of import documents of imported goods being sold at these outlets. According to a tweet of Zaidi, “FBR teams Monday visited Dolman Centre, Karachi, Emporium Mall Lahore and Centaurus Mall Islamabad as a part of tax expansion and anti-smuggling drive. On behalf of FBR I thank for courtesy and cooperation. Let us develop ‘tax culture’ in the country. Anti-smuggling drive will continue and expand.”

The FBR said, “This exercise does not represent ‘raid’ on the premises or any coercive action against the traders. The purpose of this exercise is only to ensure that relevant import documents are available and foreign goods available for sale are properly backed by documents.”

“It has been decided that such exercises will be undertaken on ‘test’ check basis. All teams will be conducting respective identification as being officially designated and the team will be headed by a senior person. In case if for any reason such documents are not readily available at the shops/offices then teams will provide adequate opportunity to submit the document in the respective offices/ shops after reasonable time,” the FBR added.