19 taxpayers benefited from ‘Zero Percent Tax Amnesty Scheme’, FBR reveals

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), implementing the orders of the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC), has disclosed that 19 taxpayers had benefited from the ‘Zero Percent Tax Amnesty Scheme’, resulting in a total amount of Rs 1.9 billion. 

The information is provided in response of a complaint filed by a tax lawyer Waheed Shahzad Butt. Before approaching PIC, the lawyer had sought information from other legal avenues, including the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the Federal Tax Ombudsman, in an attempt to uncover details about those who had benefited from the tax amnesty scheme which was primarily initiated in the tenure of the former Prime Minister Nawaz.

The beneficiaries took benefit under clause (86) of Part-IV of the Second Schedule of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001.

It is pertinent to mention here that the PIC went a step further by issuing a notice proposing a penalty of 100 days’ salary to the Chairman of the FBR. This penalty was proposed due to the FBR’s failure to disclose the requested information, highlighting the Commission’s commitment to enforcing transparency.