ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will facilitate taxpayers and focus on non-filers by enhancing taxes on them to improve the tax revenue of the country a simplified and one-page tax form would be developed for taxpayers of certain sectors.
This was stated by Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Revenue Haroon Akhtar Khan, while talking to business community during his visit to Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI).
Haroon Akhtar visited ICCI along with Tariq Mahmood Pasha Chairman FBR, Khawaja Tanvir Ahmad Member (IR Ops), Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Member (IR Policy), Muhammad Zahid Member (Customs), Shaukat Ali DG I & I Customs and Shad Muhammad DG I&I IR. Zahid Latif President, Nasir Mirza Senior Vice President and Khalid Farooq Qazi Vice President, Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) were also present at the occasion.
Haroon Akhtar said that FBR was determined to bring businesses into documentation and difference in tax rates for filers and non-filers would be further enhanced to push non-filers towards the formal sector.
FBR was connecting with NADRA and provincial authorities to promote documentation, adding that government was also working on many tax reforms to provide friendly environment to taxpayers, he added.
He said excluding agriculture, tax-to-GDP ratio has increased from up to 14 percent to 15 percent.
FBR was likely to get over 1.4 million filers this year, adding that audit process would be streamlined to facilitate taxpayers.
He said Alternate Dispute Resolution Committee would be further refined for quick resolution of tax disputes. He assured that the proposals of business community would be given due consideration while finalizing coming year budget.
Tariq Mahmood Pasha, Chairman FBR said that FBR had zero-tolerance for misbehavior and harassment creation on the part of tax collectors against any taxpayer as maintaining the respect of taxpayers was high on its priorities.
He assured that no raid would be conducted against any business premises without solid information. He said FBR has created three exclusive zones, one each at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad to broaden the tax base.
He said that from February onwards, taxpayers would fill the tax returns offline and submit them online. This arrangement would keep the server less busy and facilitate taxpayers in timely filing of returns.
He said he had open door policy and assured that genuine complaints of taxpayers would be addressed.
Speaking on the occasion, President ICCI Sheikh Amir Waheed highlighted the tax related key issues of business community.
He said tax incentives should be given to the local industry to promote imports substitution and GST should be reduced to single digit level to bring down cost of doing business.
He urged for revising 4.5 percent WHT on individuals having turnover of Rs 50 million or more, stopping raids on business premises under Sec-38 and Sec-40B and withdrawing RD on raw material of industry to facilitate the growth of manufacturing activities.
He stressed that taxpayers should be given at least five-year exemption from next audit.
President RCCI Zahid Latif called for taking business community on board in policy making process to achieve win-win results.
Source: APP
