TRC to discuss simplifying laws, taxpayers’ facilitation

KARACHI: A tax reforms committee, constituted by the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, will deliberate on ways to simplify laws and facilitate taxpayers in its maiden meeting likely to be held next week, an official said on Wednesday.
The finance minister constituted the committee to oversee and expedite the ongoing reforms in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and to further improve tax payers’ facilitation and broadening of the tax base in line with the recommendations of the Tax Reform Commission (TRC), the commission’s member said on condition of anonymity.
Last week, TRC gave a detailed presentation on the recommendations finalised by the commission to the finance minister. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Revenue Haroon Akhtar, Chairman TRC Masood Naqvi, members TRC Ashfaq Tola and Abid Shaban and senior officials of the finance ministry were also present.
The minister directed the committee formation after the briefing.
The TRC member said Akhtar will head the committee and include other members from the commission.
The member said FBR will nominate its three members in a day or two after which the committee formation will be complete.
The TRC members, in the meeting, apprised the finance minister about the latest state of the Pakistan Automation Revenue (Private) Limited.
The minister was also informed about the recommendations, submitted by the TRC through its interim report, on the simplification of law.
The minister was also told about the restructuring of tax units as performance of many regional tax offices is shaky.
The corruption in tax department was also discussed at length.
The TRC also presented its working on single stage sales tax rate for removing distortion in the taxation system, the member said.