FBR receives 2.49m tax returns by expiry of deadline

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has received 2.493 million income tax returns along with paid tax amount of Rs33 billion till expiry of deadline of August 9, 2019. The FBR expects that the number of filed returns might cross 2.5 million.

The FBR possessed data of 3.6 million registered people so 1.1 million are on the radar for sending them tax notices, but the FBR is making plans to send notices to 0.2 to 0.4 million potential non-filers especially officers working into government sector and those residing in one and two kanal houses in posh areas of the urban centres.

The FBR has received total 2,493,897 returns till Friday afternoon and tax paid up with returns was Rs33 billion. The tax liability stands at Rs884 billion. “After sifting of database, the FBR has decided to send tax notices to 0.1 million officers in public sector who did not prefer to file their tax returns despite reminders from the top hierarchy of the Board,” top official sources told The News.

When contacted, FBR’s Member Inland Revenue (Policy) and official spokesman Dr Hamid Ateeq Sarwar said the FBR has decided to send tax notices to 0.2 to 0.4 million potential non-filers, including officers of public sector and those residing in one and two kanal luxurious houses in major urban centres.

“We are making plans to issue system-based tax notices at first stage and then refer these cases to respective field offices all over the country,” he said, and added that the sifting of database was underway but it was final that the FBR would issue notices to around 0.2 to 0.4 million potential non-filers after Eidul Azha.

He said the FBR wanted to create deterrence for potential non- filers and required spadework was underway to deal with potential cases. He said those living in kanals of houses would have to come into tax net.

Official sources said the FBR extended date of filing of returns for tax year 2018 with the purpose to give chance to non-filers to come into tax system voluntarily but now the long arm of law would come into action.

It’s a pity that out of over 200 million population, there are only 2.493 million filers in the country. With this narrowed base, the FBR is required to collect Rs5,550 billion for the current fiscal year and the first test of the FBR is collection of Rs1,072 billion for first quarter (July-Sept) period under the IMF condition for first review into $6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF).