4.5m taxable individuals not part of tax net identified, PM told

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, calling the digitisation of taxation system the government’s priority to prevent tax evasion worth billions of rupees, on Friday directed the authorities concerned to immediately create a dashboard to monitor the ongoing digitisation and implementation of the reforms.

The prime minister, chairing a meeting to review the reforms process of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), instructed to bring the taxable non-filers into the tax net and revoke the discretionary powers of the customs appraisers, and sought an implementation report from the FBR chairman within 24 hours, the official news agency reported.

During the briefing on the FBR’s digitisation, the meeting was informed that during the FBR digitisation, 4.5 million taxable individuals have been identified who were not part of the tax net.

It was told that consequent to the government’s measures, over 300,000 more individuals have filed their tax returns within a few weeks.

Besides, the refunds of 4,000 companies have been stopped during last the two weeks, following the detection of under-invoicing and forged sales tax refunds.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said that the tax evaders as well as the officers and staffers facilitating them would be brought to the book and vowed not to spare those plundering the public kitty.

Besides, the taxpayers fulfilling their responsibility timely would be acknowledged too, he added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said that state-of-the-art scanners would be installed at seaports to ensure transparency and prevent corruption in the system.

He also sought a comprehensive report on the magnitude of tax evasion and the measures for its prevention.

He vowed to introduce a taxation system of international standard in the country and called for engaging well reputed professionals and experts for formulation of a tax policy.

The prime minister sought a comprehensive strategy on the FBR’s digitisation and reforms and the set targets in the next meeting.