Govt considers extending date of Amnesty Scheme

The government will have to either bring new Presidential Ordinance or introduce a new mini bill

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – As the deadline looms for Tax Amnesty Scheme, the government on Friday is considering extending the date of the asset declaration scheme.

According to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials, any announcement by Prime Minister Imran Khan for the extension in the deadline for the Tax Amnesty Scheme will be implemented, however, no such suggestion is under consideration until now.

Sources said that the public response for the scheme has not been encouraging.

Sources further said that the government will have to either bring new Presidential Ordinance or introduce a new mini bill.

The general public would be provided all facilities if the date for the scheme is extended keeping in view the interest of the people.

It is pertinent here to mention that the deadline for the scheme is ending on June 30.

PM Imran hints at extension

On Thursday, Prime Minister Imran Khan hinted at an extension in the Asset Declaration Scheme, saying the government would come up with a new programme within next 48 hours .

The prime minister said that the people have shown willingness to come under the tax net but they are complaining the paucity of time as the scheme is set to expire on June 30, 2019.

He said people do not have faith on the working of FBR as they consider their tax money will be wasted. He regretted that tax culture could not flourish during the reign of previous governments.

The prime minister said that after the passage of budget, he will sit with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Shabbar Zaidi to clean the tax collection agency of corrupt people.

“Information Technology will be used in tax collection to minimize the role of humans,” he said and added a mechanism will also be evolved to provide tax refunds to business community in order to facilitate them.

Imran Khan said in advanced countries the money collected through taxes is spent on welfare of people, and that is why the public have a trust on government, adding that we have to give this confidence to people in Pakistan too, so that they willingly pay their due taxes.

He said Pakistan today stands at a cross road. It means if people do not pay their taxes, country cannot move forward. The prime minister said Pakistanis have a capacity to pay even 8000 billion rupees taxes yearly. He said Pakistanis are a generous nation and each year they pay billions of rupees in charity and zakat. They can play their role to take the country out of debt trap.

Blaming corruption for the economic woes of the country, the Prime Minister said no country in the world can progress and prosper if its ruling elite is dishonest. He said corruption leads to inflation and unemployment.

Imran Khan said a small number of tax payers cannot lift the burden of 220 million people. He said stunted growth, illiteracy and poverty are the main reasons for less taxes collected by the government.

The Prime Minister urged the people to change their mindset and think of the welfare of their fellow countrymen. Imran Khan said there is nothing impossible in the world and the nation will come out of the economic crisis.