KARACHI: Despite the malfunctioning of the system of IRIS, various field officers are still issuing notices to taxpayers (withholding agents) in respect with late/non filing of withholding statements, Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA) said.
The KTBA has raised an issue relating to difficulties faced by tax payers with Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) seeking resolution of the same.
KTBA states in a letter to the Chairman FBR, at various occasions that KTBA has highlighted the issues relating to difficulties being faced by the taxpayers (withholding agents) in e-filing of monthly statements through its numerous letters which are on record.
‘The matter has also been taken up with the Member (IR Policy), FBR at the meeting held with him firstly at KTBA office and subsequently at the FBR as well in which it was unanimously agreed that the penalties should not be imposed due to the malfunctioning of the system of IRIS which is causing undue harassment and mistrust between the taxpayers and tax collector’, it added.
Unfortunately, however, it has been observed that various field officers are still issuing notices in respect with late/non filing of withholding statements, indiscriminately, by completely ignoring the fact that the root cause of late filings actually lies in none other than the varied and multiples issues in the IRIS itself and not due to any fault of the genuine taxpayers (withholding agents), KTBA said.
‘We, therefore, earnestly request your honor to kindly issue the necessary direction to the field officers restraining them from issuing penalty notices which is not only oppressive in nature but actually causing serious harassment amongst the taxpayers,’ added KTBA.
