PM to distribute awards among 65 exporters, taxpayers

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will distribute awards among 65 leading exporters and compliant taxpayers in a ceremony scheduled to be held at the PM Office on Tuesday (today).

There will be around 40 awards to be distributed among the leading exporters belonging to textile, sports, surgical goods, pharmaceuticals, foods, steel, and other selected sectors.

In the category of compliance taxpayers, the PM will distribute awards among those who paid the heaviest amount in income tax to companies, AOPs, and individual taxpayers.

The government has also selected SMEs as well as first-time filers who deposited heavy amounts in the national kitty. The premier will also announce special incentives for those who paid the highest amounts in the national kitty.

The premier is also expected to announce some packages for tax officers in his speech.

Meanwhile, the FBR has made the online integration of businesses mandatory for fourteen major categories, including influential health clubs, gyms, physical fitness centres, swimming pools, and multipurpose clubs such as Lahore Gymkhana, Islamabad Club, Chenab Club, Karachi Gymkhana, Royal Palm Lahore, Polo Club, etc. operated by any civilian or non-civilian administration.

All 14 categories will have to apply for a licence and will have to install Point of Sale (POS). A licenced integrator who wants to supply an electronic fiscal device and software must apply to the Board for the licence.

The fourteen categories that were asked to integrate their businesses online included restaurants, hotels, motels, guest houses, marriage halls, marquees, clubs, including race clubs, Inter-city travel by road, Courier services and cargo services, Services provided for personal care by beauty parlours, clinics, slimming clinics, massage centres, pedicure centres, all medical service providers, including dentists, physiotherapists, plastic surgeons, hair implant surgeons, and veteri doctors, Pathological laboratories, medical diagnostic laboratories, including X-rays, CT scans, M.R. imaging, etc. Private hospitals or medical care centres providing medical consultation, hospitalisation, or other ancillary services, Health clubs, gyms, physical fitness centres, swimming pools, and multipurpose clubs such as Lahore Gymkhana, Islamabad Club, Chenab Club, Karachi Gymkhana, Royal Palm Lahore, Polo Club, etc. operated by any civilian or non-civilian administration, Photographers, videographers, and event managers, Accountants defined as (a) a Chartered Accountant within the meaning of the Chartered Accountants Ordinance, 1 961 (X of 1 961); or (b) a Cost and Management Accountant within the meaning of the Cost and Management Accountants Act, 1966 (xIV of 1966), retailers including manufacturer cum-retailer, wholesaler cum-rretailer, importer cum-retailer, or such other person who combines the activity of retail sale with another business activity (a retailer who does not fall in any of the following categories) namely: (a) a retailer operating as a unit of national or international chain of stores; (b) a retailer operating in an air-conditioned shopping mall, plaza or center, excluding kiosks; (c) a retailer whose cumulative electricity bill during the immediately preceding twelve consecutive months exceeds rupees twelve hundred thousand; (d) a wholesaler-cum-retailer, engaged in bulk import and supply of consumer goods on wholesale basis to retailers as well as on retail basis to the general body of consumers; or (e) a retailer whose shop measure one thousand square feet in area or more), Foreign Exchange Dealers/Exchange Companies and Private schools, colleges, universities, professional institutes/ vocational training centers (Where The fee per child is less than Rs 1,000 per month).

On receipt of the application for grant of licence from the Board, the licencing committee shall scrutinise the documents provided. The licencing committee may also carry out visits, if necessary, for physical inspection to determine the eligibility of the applicant for licencing under these rules.

The integrated enterprises shall: (a) make all payment counters comprising points of sale at each outpost available for installation of the systems; (b) be responsible for the smooth functioning of points of sale; (c) report to the Board and the concerned Commissioner of Inland Revenue within twenty-four hours of any operational failure, damage disruptions, or tampering of the system; or (d) report any inoperative point of issuance of an invoice to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue holding the jurisdiction. 33T. Functions of Commissioner, Inland Revenue. (1) The Commissioner, having jurisdiction, shall ensure proper and uninterrupted operation of the system through periodic visits by an officer of Inland Revenue authorised in this behalf. (2) Where a person does not account for sales without generating an invoice containing a QR code or FBR invoice number, the commissioner shall take action in accordance with the provisions of the ordinance and rules.”