FBR postpones non-filers audit for 30 days

KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has postponed auditing of non-filers of income tax returns for a month, an official said on Friday.  

FBR Chairman Muhammad Irshad, at a meeting with the office bearers of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), said the board introduced structural changes to increase the number of new taxpayers. 

“Efforts of broadening of tax base have been accelerated,” Irshad added. He said the drive found a wide discrepancy in declaration and actual wealth. In some cases, annual declaration was Rs0.5 million, but the real amount exceeded billions of rupees.

FPCCI President Zubair Tufail, however, complained that audit notices issued to taxpayers had created panic in the business community. Tufail told The News that the Federal Board of Revenue should give sometime to business community and taxpayers to explain their version if a discrepancy was detected. 

He said the latest 30-day relaxation is only in the cases selected by the tax departments. “Audit proceeding will continue in those cases selected through computerised balloting by the FBR.”