ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Revenue, Haroon Akhtar Khan has said that 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. He said 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.
The Special Assistant to PM on Revenue visited Islamabad Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Friday along with FBR chairman Tariq Mahmood Pasha, IR Ops Member Khawaja Tanvir Ahmad, IR Policy Member Dr Muhammad Iqbal, Customs Member Muhammad Zahid, Customs DG I & I Shaukat Ali and IR DG I&I Shad Muhammad. Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) President Zahid Latif, Senior Vice President Nasir Mirza and Vice President Khalid Farooq Qazi were also present at the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Haroon Akhtar Khan said FBR was connecting with NADRA and provincial authorities to promote documentation. He said the government was also working on many tax reforms to provide a friendly environment to taxpayers. He said a simplified and one-page tax form would be developed for taxpayers of certain sectors.
The Special Assistant to PM said that excluding agriculture, the tax-to-GDP ratio has increased up to 14 per cent to 15 per cent and added that FBR was likely to get over 1.4 million filers this year. He said 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 the business community would be given due consideration while finalising coming year budget.
FBR Chairman Tariq Mahmood Pasha said that FBR had zero-tolerance for misbehaviour 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 serverless busy and facilitate taxpayers in timely filing of returns. He said FBR paid 156 per cent more sales tax refunds last quarter and would further expedite disposal of verified refunds. He said he had open door policy and assured that genuine complaints of taxpayers would be addressed.
Speaking at the occasion, ICCI President Sheikh Amir Waheed highlighted the tax-related key issues of the 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 the cost of doing business.
He said that 4.5 per cent WHT on individuals having a turnover of Rs 50 million or more should be revised, raids on business premises under Section 38 and Section 40B be stopped and RD on the raw material of industry be withdrawn to facilitate the growth of manufacturing activities. He stressed that taxpayers should be given at least 5-year exemption from next audit.
RCCI President Zahid Latif said that FBR should take business community on board in policy-making process to achieve win-win results. ICCI Senior Vice President Muhammad Naveed, Vice President Nisar Mirza, Khalid Javed, Abdul Rauf, Tariq Sadiq, Ejaz Abbasi, Ch Waheed-Ud-Din, Nadeem Mansoor, Khalid Chaudhry and others also spoke at the occasion and highlighted various tax issues of the business community for redress.
