LAHORE: Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar has said that number of taxpayers in the country have increased by 30 per cent during a year, while the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued notices to further 20,000 non-filers.
Addressing a press conference at Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) Punjab, he said that so far 1,400,000 (1.4 million) taxpayers have filed their tax returns, whereas the taxpayers can file the returns on Monday (tomorrow) as well.
He said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has put in place special measures to facilitate the taxpayers, improve tax procedures and bring tax reforms to ensure ease of doing business.
The minister said that it was decided to translate the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) policies and tax laws into Urdu language for making the tax system easier to understand for the common man.
He said that it was needed to develop a mechanism and bridge the communication gap between FBR’s field officers, who collect the taxes and administrative officers who form policies for better output of the department, adding that facilities would be provided to the field officers so that they could better facilitate the taxpayers.
Hammad Azhar said that FBR would publish a tax directory pertaining to tax returns of parliamentarians, adding that the PTI government was committed to bring tax reforms and expand tax net in order to put the country on way to progress and prosperity.
To a question, he said that previous amnesty scheme was granted legal cover so that it could not be withdrawn, adding that action was being taken against 3,500 tax evaders and non- filers with proven trail of large business transactions and financial deals.
To another question, the minister said that FBR would be made a ‘business friendly’ organization, adding that PTI government was working in right direction to put economy on right track. The exports have started to increase, he maintained.
To a query about mobile tax policy for foreign visitors, he said that no registration and duty was needed on any phone using international roaming or to be used in Pakistan for less than 30 days. For all other phones to be used in Pakistan, travellers can pay their duties and registration at either the airports or in any of the customs houses across the country, he added.
He said that system of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Customs has been integrated to curb smuggling of cell-phone.
