FBR unveils plan to bring non-filers from SCBA into tax net

By Shahzad Paracha

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has reportedly made a plan to bring non-filer members of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) into the tax net.

Reports indicate that the FBR has devised an extensive strategy to enlist non-filers members into the tax system, by utilising third-party data and the central database of the Board.

The tax department has been gathering information on members of the SCBA who have neither registered with the FBR nor submitted their tax returns.

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On Monday, the FBR team, under the leadership of the Chairman, provided a detailed briefing to the visiting IMF technical team on the reforms and initiatives aimed at expanding the tax base. It is noted that approximately 3.2 million taxpayers have already filed their income tax returns, and the FBR aims to increase this number to over 6 million in the current fiscal year.

The FBR has communicated to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) its commitment to achieving the targeted tax collection of Rs 9.4 trillion for the fiscal year 2023-24. Additionally, plans have been shared to address the anticipated shortfall, stemming from import compression in the upcoming months, through domestic taxes, particularly direct taxes.

According to sources, the IMF technical team is scheduled to meet with the task force on tax and the FBR reforms today. During this meeting, the task force will present proposals to boost tax revenue and recommend measures to address loopholes in the tax system. The task force is expected to put forth both short- and long-term strategies that leverage modern technology to enhance tax revenue.