KARACHI: The tax lawyers have given the government a proposal to make a single authority to collect taxes in the country.
The Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA), in its proposals for budget 2017/18, said that under the present structure, taxpayers are required to deposit sales tax with different tax authorities including withholding tax and their tax matters are administered by different tax authorities. Resultantly, notices for audit/monitoring are received from different tax authorities.
Presently, there are five tax collecting authorities including four provincial sales tax authorities and the FBR who collects income tax, sales tax and Federal Excise Duty (FED).
The KTBA suggested guidance from India, which included uniformity in federal/provincial laws; GST council; common registration number; single return/common filing portal; and resolution of issues between federal and provinces.
Meanwhile, the KTBA also asked the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to withdraw sales tax withholding on supplies within registered persons. It said that the launching of Sales Tax Real-Time Invoice Verification (STRIVe) has ensured collection from seller before allowing the buyer to claim input tax.
