ISLAMABAD: Instead of laying more burden on the existing taxpayers, the government should develop a balanced tax-system in country after taking the stakeholders into confidence.
This was suggested by All Pakistan Anjman-e-Tajiran Central President Ajmal Baloch in an interview with Customs Today, adding that the tax system was not improved during reigns of the past governments.
Offering his and traders assistance, Baloch said that the business community was ready to extend helping hand to make an effective mechanism for broadening tax net and increasing tax collection.
He said that strength of taxpayers was standing at 1,400,000 almost 2-3 years ago and now total taxpayers were 900,000 with the decrease of 500,000, which is a great number and also a matter of concern. He also urged the FBR chairman to investigate the issue against those have national tax number (NTN) but tax returns were not being filed by them.
Baloch said that about six million traders paid income tax, which is charged through electricity bills, whether they have taxable income or not. He added that traders those earned up to Rs 500,000 were below the threshold for paying tax.
He said FBR should take measures to facilitate the small traders who have to pay taxes even on minor incomes.
Despite having good intention, FBR could not achieve desired results, he said, highlighting that department need to bring changes at lower-level as few ‘black sheep’ were damaging the reputation of the departments, besides causing loss to national exchequer.
He emphasized that FBR should introduce tax form in Urdu language to make it easy for less educated traders, as literacy rate in Pakistan was also satisfactory.
FBR earned almost Rs 20 million from excise in a day, but measures have not been taken to make it better.
Developed nations improved their systems at first, instead of launching mega projects; he said, adding that “We should learn from such nations in the larger interest of Pakistan.”
