FTO orders extension in deadline

LAHORE: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has ordered extension in the deadline of depositing withholding tax (WHT) with the renewal of vehicle registration to August 31, 2015 in order to verify filers through the Active Taxpayer List (ATL).
Member Automation FBR, CEO PRAL, DG Withholding Tax, Postmaster General, Chief Postmaster and Islamabad, Director PPO appeared before the FTO, wherein after hearing the arguments, the FBR functionaries were directed to get the date of depositing the withholding tax in post offices extended up to August 31 to facilitate the taxpayers for verification of filers through ATL system.
the FTO order stated, “PRAL has informed that an automated system has now been developed whereby any taxpayer, who filed income tax return, would get ATL activated through SMS.”
For this purpose, an advertisement has been published in the national dailies.
The Postmaster General has requested that a toll free access of such SMS should be allowed to the post office authorities, as well as to the taxpayers for prompt verification of filers.
The revenue board functionaries were also directed to create awareness among the public through publicity in the press and electronic media so that the taxpayers may enable themselves to avail the facility of knowing their status as active filers.
The order further said, “Various complaints were received by the office alleging that taxpayers were facing difficulties in the post offices while depositing withholding tax during annual renewal of registration of vehicles.”
“It was alleged that even regular taxpayers were treated as non-filers and additional tax was charged from them as there is no mechanism to prove that they were on Active Taxpayer List (ATL) of the FBR as regular filers of income tax return,” it added.
During the hearing, the representatives of the FBR admitted that taxpayers were facing difficulties in depositing withholding tax in the post offices. The representatives of the Pakistan Post also complained, “Due the absence of proper mechanism for evidence regarding filers and non-filers, post office authorities have to ask the taxpayers to deposit the amount of tax applicable for non-filers.”
It was further claimed that FBR has decided to accept manually filed returns as well. The FBR functionaries were directed to get the date of depositing withholding tax in post offices extended up to 31-08-2015 to facilitate the taxpayers for verification of filers through ATL system.
They were also directed to create awareness among the public through publicity in the press and electronic media so that the taxpayers may enable themselves to avail the facility of knowing their status as active filers.
The CEO PRAL and DG Withholding Tax committed to get the date extended for one month and to adopt measures through publicity for awareness of the taxpayers. They were also directed to submit a report on the matter within one month.