MULTAN: Multan Tax Bar Association (MTBA) has drawn attention to a significant glitch in the IRS Portal, disrupting the display of reference order numbers and impeding taxpayers’ efforts to revise their sales tax returns.
In a formal communication addressed to Mufeeza Iqbal, Member (Information Technology) of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), MTBA General Secretary Muhammad Imran Ghazi outlined the issue and its ramifications.
Under Section 26(3) of the Sales Tax Act, 1990, registered persons are granted a 120-day window to revise their sales tax returns with the Commissioner’s approval. Should this period elapse, taxpayers may still seek the Commissioner’s consent to condone the delay and proceed with the revision.
The glitch in the IRS Portal disrupts this process by failing to display the ‘reference order number,’ essential for submitting condonation applications. Previously, this unique identifier appeared automatically on the portal but is now absent following a recent update, causing hindrance to taxpayers.
MTBA members have consistently faced this issue when filing revision applications alongside condonation requests, despite efforts to communicate the problem to the FBR helpline. Syed Zafar Ahmed emphasized the urgency of intervention from Mufeeza Iqbal to instruct the Pakistan Revenue Automation (Pvt.) Ltd. (PRAL) team to resolve the issue promptly.
The MTBA stressed the critical need to restore reference order number generation on the IRS Portal to ensure seamless compliance with tax obligations. The smooth functioning of the portal is essential for taxpayers to fulfill their duties without undue delays or complications, underscoring the urgency for swift technological solutions to maintain efficiency and reliability in the tax filing process.
