MULTAN: Chief Commissioner (CC) Inland Revenue (IR) Mazhar Hussain Bodhla, Regional Tax Office (RTO) Multan has said that retailers who installed Point of Sales (POS) will gain refunds automatically.
“The retailers will also not subject to audit,” he said while speaking with office bearers of Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI).“POS, which was currently for business falling under Tier-I, will gradually be installed all over the country with a view to save the economy from tax evasion”, he added. President MCCI Khawaja Muhammad Hussain along with his delegation met Chief Commissioner RTO and informed that any shopkeeper who comes under the purview of seven conditions defined for Tier-I will have to fulfil the POS condition.
“Shopkeepers must come out of fear as they will be fully protected in case of any illegal action. Our doors are always open and you can visit my office anytime for assistance without seeking appointment,” he assured and advised shopkeepers to submit written complaints in case they were being victimized, ill-treated or blackmailed by any officer of his department. Action will be taken by initiating investigation within 24 hours with a view to create a taxpayers’ friendly environment.
Whoever has received notices pertaining to POS, his business must be falling in any of the seven categories defined in Tier-I. We don’t want to close down your business. This system is purely for the benefit of businesspeople hence, maximum number of people must become part it,” he said.
Appreciating President MCCI’s suggestion, he agreed that his department’s team will hold awareness sessions not only at MCCI but also at respective markets. “It is not only the responsibility of Muhammad Idrees to support and facilitate shopkeepers but ours as well,” he added. While congratulating MCCI Office Bearers on assuming charge of Chamber’s affairs appreciated all the efforts being made to highlight the problems pertaining to POS and other taxation issues.
Speaking on the occasion, President MCCI Khawaja Muhammad Hussain stated that to properly and effectively implement POS system on Tier-I Retailers without troubling the shopkeepers, the field formation teams need to play a more proactive role while awareness has to be raised amongst shopkeepers who currently stand unguided and were reluctant to seek assistance mainly due to existing negative perception about tax authorities. “The past practices of field formation officers are discouraging shopkeepers to integrate with FBR via POS which requires attention”, he added.
He also pointed out that Gul Plaza was not an air-conditioned mall but due to inevitable requirement at the basement, some shopkeepers have installed air conditioners and similar was the case at some other malls as well hence, all such shops should not be held responsible for failing to comply with POS condition as these cannot be treated under Tier-I.
Khawaja Muhammad Hussain further argued that all laws being devised by FBR including POS system remain confined to business community of Multan only at initial phase whereas it appears that the rest of the country stands exempted. He advised Chief Commissioner to hold awareness sessions at MCCI for shopkeepers of markets and malls and these sessions must also be organized at relevant markets as well so that misunderstandings and grievances could be dealt as people were largely unaware to such an extent that they were even not aware that shopkeepers can also get rebate under POS.
He said that taxpayers were being harassed by issuing notices for monitoring and audit of multiple tax
