ISLAMABAD: Taxpayers are facing trouble as the Federal Board of Revenue’s electronic system of IRIS is not accepting their claims of income tax refund for the Tax Year 2016.
The IRIS website is unable to cater/accept the refunds applications from the taxpayers who had duly filed their income tax returns since August 2016.
A tax lawyer Waheed Shahzad Butt has said that the FBR’s electronic system has completely failed to accept/process the refund applications for the Tax Year 2016 and despite repeated attempts by the taxpayers following categorical message has been appeared on the IRIS screen “Transaction not allowed, as there is no refundable amount”. Earlier the electronic system reflects following message “Transaction not allowed, as Workflow Rule has failed”.
The revenue authority is bound to issue/process the tax refund within 60 days after the claim date. As per law, taxpayers, who pay adjustable withholding income tax at various payments, have right to claim refunds. Refunds can only be claimed when a taxpayer files income tax return with the FBR. A taxpayer can claim refunds on withholding tax deducted on cellular/landline phone, electricity bill payments, cash withdrawal, school fee and functions etc.
