LAHORE: Inland Revenue Member of FBR Shaid Hussain Asad has said that the department is ready to extend Amnesty and Immunity Scheme to the existing taxpayers.
He said this while addressing a large gathering at the seminar Amnesty and Immunity Scheme organized by Lahore Tax bar association.
He said that the existing taxpayers could also be able to avail Amnesty and Immunity Scheme adding that the industrial units which are already operational can get exemption under the Green Field Industrial Project.
He elaborated, “Taxpayers who have filed their returns from 2008 to 2012 can avail the opportunity from the Prime Minister’s Incentive Package and Amnesty and Immunity Scheme for new investment. The industrial units which are old and want to expand their business are also liable to receive exemption on the investment in their old units’ expansion.”
He also said that FBR was also considering the plan to impart and train the masses to pay taxes for uplift of living standards. He added that TV, brochures, radio and other ways of communication can help boost tax base.
Shahid Hussain Asad, who is also official spokesperson of FBR, vowed to fulfil all the genuine demands of taxpayers and LTBA. On the occasion, Lahore Tax bar Association President Qari Habibur Rehman Zuberi urged the IR Member to introduce the two schemes among the Pakistanis abroad through Pakistani ambassadors setting up a committee consisting of FBR and LTBA members. He asked FBR authorities to make the tax system easy in order to expand tax net taking all the stakeholders into confidence.
If the stakeholders are not taken on board no audit will be completed like the past, he warned. He said, “We have been working in line with FBR and in future LTBA will also be there to help FBR in larger national interests of the country.”
He demanded from FBR to set up Tax Advisory Company and Tax Think Tank giving tax bar associations a proportionate representation.
Others including LTU Chief Commissioner Mustafa Ashraf, RTO Inland II Chief Commissioner Shafaqat Mehmood and LTBA office bearers including Amir Younus, Ali Ahsan Rana, Shahbaz Sidique, Abdul Waheed and a large number of lawyers were also present on the occasion.
