Demand to extend ST deadline

KARACHI: The Pakistan Tax Bar Association (PTBA) has urged the tax authorities to extend the date for filing monthly sales tax returns, as meeting the deadline is not possible for taxpayers due to weeklong Eid holidays and restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The PTBA on Wednesday sent a letter to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Asim Ahmed, informing him that tax bars in the country had shared difficulties in returns filing due to the prevailing situation.

The PTBA said: “The government has announced national holidays from May 8 to 15, 2021 due to Eid-ul-Fitr and the current situation of the third wave of pandemic in the country.”

The tax bar also said the government has not only announced weeklong national holidays but also announced complete lockdown in the country on the recommendations of the National Command and Control (NCOC) during the aforesaid period, due to an increase in the number of cases on daily basis.

“In this situation, the working for preparation for sales tax returns, as well as the deposit of sales tax liability up to May 15 (which is the due date to deposit sales tax liability under the law) is not possible for the taxpayers, in general,” it said; however, after re-joining the offices by the public after Eid holidays from May 17 onwards, only two days would be left for filing the sales tax returns for the tax period April 2021.

PTBA said, in this situation, neither the taxpayers can deposit their sales tax liability within the due date nor they can prepare and submit their sales tax returns with the date as provided under the law.

“Thus, the time for payment of due sales tax liability, as well as submission of sales tax returns are required to be extended for at least 10 days beyond the prescribed date and the time in the light of the facts,” it added.