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FBR was maintaining close liaison with National Database Regulatory Authority (NADRA).
ISLAMABAD (APP) – Senate Standing Committee on Finance was informed here on Wednesday that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was taking concrete steps to map individuals as well as entities to identify maximum numbers of taxpayers and bring them into tax net.
For this purpose the FBR was maintaining close liaison with National Database Regulatory Authority (NADRA) for identification of potential but un-registered taxpayers, an official of FBR informed the committee.
He said to begin with Islamabad, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been signed with Trakkar Private Limited for taxpayers’ mapping and around 20,000 un-registered entities have been identified for issuance of notices while around 2000 notices have so far been issued.
The meeting was chaired by Senator Saleem H. Mandviwala and was attended by Senators Ilyas Ahmed Bilour, Myhammad Mohsin Khan Leghari, Ayesha Raza Farooq, Osman Saifullah Khan and Usman Khan Kakar.
The meeting was further informed that so far mapping work of over 500 Commercial Plazas had been completed to identify more taxpayers whereas in next phase housing schemes would be mapped for the purpose.
An official of FBR informed that the Board had also established dedicated centers in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore which started its operation in November to bring maximum numbers of people to tax net.
He said in next phase 13 more centers would be established in other cities including Multan, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Quetta, Sialkot, etc to give boost to the operation.
He said a user friendly and conversational e-filing 3rd party software was being pursued for quick, hassle free and affordable filing of returns by new taxpayers.
Senior Member Inland Revenue, Muhammad Iqbal informed the committee that the FBR was introducing a one page tax return filing system which would be implemented by next year.
He said so far 33000 notices have been issued by Commissioner HQs (BTB) for enforcement of tax returns while 20,000 un-registered individuals have been identified from FBR’s tax withholding portal for bulk registration.
The committee was further informed that information in respect of 10,000 live and potential cases of un-registered persons has been obtained for BTB purposes whereas identification of actual and on ground users was underway.
Iqbal said a total of 1.4 million tax returns were filed for the Tax year 2016 and it is hoped that during current year the number would further increase.
Meanwhile regarding discriminatory treatment being meted out with officials of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Senator Saleem Mandviwala expressed his concern and directed the President of NBP to ensure promotion of all officials of the Bank totally on merit.
