KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Member Inland Revenue (Operations) Khawaja Tanveer Ahmad has said that all the legitimate matters of exporters in the hands of the organization shall be resolved on priority basis.
The Member Inland Revenue (Operations) FBR visited Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association. He was accompanied by Chief Commissioner LTU Karachi Seema Shakeel, Chief Commissioner Corporate RTO, Karachi Dr Fazal Muhammad Abrejo and Chief Commissioner RTO III Karachi Nazir Ahmed Shoro.
During the visit Khawaja Tanveer said that the FBR recognizes imperative role of exporters in enhancing Pakistan’s exports and uplift of the economy. He was pleased to inform that the FBR has recorded a growth of 25 percent in tax collection during November 2017 after a decade.
He appreciated that the private sector has discharged its tax liabilities promptly while the response from public sector was not up to FBR expectations. However, high recoveries made from state owned entities like PIA and DISCOs. Since funds are available in Governments kitty therefore swift payments shall be made to exporters against their refund claims. FBR is well aware of SMEs significant role as well as their problems and believe to resolve them.
FBR member ensured that payments against approved RPOs shall be released from next week. For deferred cases, a committee shall be formed to revisit legally admissible cases for payment.
Several refunds are pending on technical ground which needs rectification at claimant / exporter level. On request of PHMA, he agreed to provide access of FBR system to PHMA enabling its members to check their deferred claims of last five years.
He emphasized on taxpayers education and stated that FBR has dedicated department for taxpayers awareness. In this connection, he proposed to hold training session for PHMA members to brief on filing of tax returns and how to avoid claims going into deferred.
He assured to process all pending applications of exporters for zero rating of sales tax on utilities on priority basis and to speed up the process wherever possible. Replying to query relating to issuance of Notices to exporters on Withholding Tax, he advised members to must file withholding tax statements. FBR will consider to bring the Textile Sector in one Tax Office after processing and resolving the pending issues.
Members present in the meeting discussed their salestTax issues with the Member IR, FBR which were satisfactorily answered with assurances of speedy resolution and Member IR, FBR issued onsite directives to Chief Commissioners, LTU, CRTO and RTO-III to address particular cases of exporters fall under their domain.
During the visit the members of the PHMA invited the attention of Member, FBR on burning issue of exporters sales tax refund lying pending. In this connection FBR has already written a letter to RTOs / LTUs to finalize the remaining claims with list and report by 31st October, 2017 carrying out proper scrutiny through field formation to process certain sales tax refund claims under guidelines provided by FBR which is still awaited.
