ISLAMABAD: In an effort to restore the confidence of the business community, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a new mode of investigating cases of tax evasion.
By amending Section 37A of the Finance Act, the FBR has now made it obligatory on a commissioner not to initiate a probe against traders without first seeking permission from members of the Inland Revenue.
According to a notification issued in this connection, a commissioner will also be bound to take the bodies of traders on board prior to starting an investigation.
It will be mandatory for him to hold consultations with the representatives of bodies like FPCCI, APTMA, chambers of commerce, overseas investors’ chamber and Pakistan Business Council.
On the other hand, the FBR has also issued the Sales Tax General Order.
On the other hand, former caretaker federal minister Gohar Ejaz has felicitated members of the business community and said that Field Marshal Asim Munir has saved them from what he called ‘black laws’ of the FBR.
He has said that on the insistence of the business community, the bureau has amended the Finance Act. “Now, no trader will be arrested without first consulting the representatives of the bodies of traders.”
Gohar has recalled that representatives of 18 chambers of commerce of the country had raised before the field marshal the issue of arrests of traders.
