KARACHI – Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chief Commissioner Inland Revenue Tariq Mustafa said that it is not the policy of FBR to impose more burden on the taxpayers. We will introduce a new and efficient system replacing IRIS in which all kinds of taxes can be easily paid in one place. He expressed these views during a meeting with officials and members of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI). KATI President Salman Aslam, Kite CEO Zubair Chhaya, Tax Liaison Committee Chairman Masood Naqi, Senior Vice President Maheen Salman, Former Presidents Saleem-uz-Zaman, Tariq Malik, Farhan-ur-Rehman, Rashid Siddiqui, Johar Qandhari, Ehteshamuddin, Syed Farukh Mazher and a large number of other members including were present.
Chief Commissioner RTO Tariq Mustafa said that the issues raised by KATI would not only improve the regional tax office but also benefit the FBR. He said that after 2013, tax refund payments were in a halt. Under the current system, there is no problem of refunds. Refunds are now paid immediately through the modern automated system, we are hold accountable for non-payment of refunds. KATI members can contact me for any complaint regarding FBR. My doors are open to all members, he said.
Earlier, KATI President Salman Aslam welcomed the arrival of Chief Commissioner Inland Revenue Tariq Mustafa in KATI and said that the industrialists were concerned over the reports of freezing the accounts of defaulters. He said that to increase further revenues tax net needs to be widened, adding that harassment of taxpayers would not increase revenue.
President KATI said that new policies should be formulated to facilitate the tax system so that the industrialists consider paying taxes without any fear as a national duty.
KITE CEO Zubair Chhaya said that, we have been made withholding agent without any compensation and instead of encouragement, we have been issued monitoring notices from 2014 to date.
The government should encourage withholding agents. He said that in terms of filers and non-filers, non-filers save their lives by paying extra tax once while filers go through various notices and audits despite paying taxes. A policy should be formulated in consultation with the stakeholders to widen the scope of taxation. Facilities should be provided to the industrialists of Karachi so that the industries can be promoted and the national revenue can be further increased.
On the occasion, Chairman Tax Liaison Committee Masood Naqi said that a focal person should be appointed to facilitate the industrialists of Korangi and FBR who could provide immediate assistance to the members of KATI. He said freezing accounts and imposing heavy fines would discourage taxpayers as they would not be able to pay heavy fines due to the post-COVID economic crisis.
