Special
Assistant to Prime Minister on Revenue Mr. Haroon Khan has said FBR has been
making concerted efforts for the broadening of tax base and the focus has
shifted from burdening the existing taxpayers to finding new taxpayers. "All our energies
are now concentrated on finding new taxpayers through an extensive taxpayer
outreach programme which has helped us get a significant number of additional
taxpayers till now as compared to the corresponding period last year," he
said while addressing the office bearers and members of Islamabad Chamber of
Commerce and Industry during his visit to the Chamber here today. Chairman FBR
Mr. Tariq Mahmood Pasha and other Members of FBR also accompanied him. The meet
was also attended by the office-bearers and members of the Rawalpindi Chamber
of Commerce and Industry.
Mr. Haroon Khan said the government
deeply valued the taxpayers and the contribution they had made to the revenue
generation and resource mobilization efforts of FBR in recent years. "It
is through the support and cooperation of our valued taxpayers that FBR has
been able to register 73 per cent revenue growth during the last four
years," he said. He said FBR had decided to go after the non-filers and three
zones had been created in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad with a view to
broadening the tax base and getting more taxpayers in the tax net. "We
hope this year we would be able to get significantly more tax filers," he
added. To a question, he said the government had paid special attention
to the problem of stuck sales tax refunds and as against Rs 26 billion sales
tax refunds given last year, the government had in the first four months of the
current year given away Rs 40 billion tax refunds which reflect its commitment
to facilitating the business community. To another question, Haroon Khan said FBR
had conveyed clear instructions to its field formations to treat taxpayers with
due respect and attention and any incident involving intimidation or harassment
of taxpayers would not be brooked.
Chairman FBR Mr. Tariq Mahmood Pasha
and other Members of FBR also spoke on the occasion and addressed questions and
concerns of the business community. Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and
Industry's President Sheikh Amir Waheed and Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and
Industry's President Mr. Zahid Latif expressed their gratefulness to Mr. Haroon
Khan and the FBR team for addressing and allaying their concerns and
misgivings. Meanwhile, Mr. Haroon Khan also held a meeting with a delegation
of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) at the FBR House today. He
listened to their issues and problems and assured them the fullest government
support for their resolution. Senior Members of FBR were also present on the
occasion.
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