FBR Establishes 145 District Tax Offices in Pakistan to Expand Tax Base

According to the latest update, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is planning to establish 145 district tax offices in Pakistan to expand the country’s tax base. Finance Minister (FM) Shamshad Akhtar gave his approval to the action, which was labeled a restructuring measure. The FBR announced that district officers from across the country will be in charge of these offices. They will be assigned the significant duty of guaranteeing the filing of income tax returns by non-filers and stop-filers. This step is expected to improve the tax-to-GDP ratio to a certain level.

Read More: FBR: Non-Filers Face SIM Blockage, Electricity, Gas Disconnection

In addition, the said action aims to add 1.5 to 2 million new taxpayers for the tax credit by June 2024. A dedicated Inland Revenue Officer ranking BS-17/18 will oversee the new office and enroll new potential taxpayers, in addition to discussing significant tax gaps in the system.

These officers will oversee third-party data that is gathered from different departments and agencies and focus on the investment of funds and expenses, as well as the registration and filing of Tax returns by individuals who are trying to avoid paying taxes. It will support the officers and hold them accountable.

A significant tool in this process is the implementation of the recently introduced Section 114B in the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. This ordinance directs the concerned departments to disable power and gas connections and block SIMs in case of failure to file tax returns.

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