Tax officials have blamed Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (Pral) for the delay to implement new automation projects including tax payments through online system at banks.
Sources told Business Recorder on Monday that the issue came to the limelight during the last commissioners conference when CBR Chairman M. Abdullah Yusuf inquired about the development of taxpayer profiles, Tax Management System (TMS) and update on the computerised payment receipt (CPR) under the revenue automation project.
Tax authorities were surprised that different automation-related assignments have not been accomplished yet despite direct tax collection has shown extraordinary performance during the first half of the current fiscal.
According to the sources, relevant officials were unable to complete their work in time. Instead of accepting responsibility, they criticised the role of Pral for the delay.
CBR Chairman was shocked that the tax officials had taken two years to identify major branches of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Karachi contributing 85 percent of the total withholding taxes. He directed the relevant official, Sardar Aminullah, Chief Information Management System (IMS) to give details of the branches collecting major chunk of withholding revenue in Karachi.
On hearing about the names of two branches, Chairman CBR said that, "it seemed that the assignment given to you two years ago has now been accomplished. This indicates that you are not receiving my message for timely completion of assigned tasks", sources quoted CBR Chairman as saying to Aminullah.
Sources said that the tax authorities also expressed concerns over delay in the reconciliation of National Tax Number (NTN) Master Index and Monthly Progress Report (MPR). The data of NTN in the master index is more as compared to the data received through MPR. "The problem of reconciliation of NTN master index with the MPR remained unresolved for the last two years".
The chairman also asked the concerned officials to explain the cause of delay to implement the automation project at banks for payment of taxes. Responding to these questions, Aminullah put the entire blame on PRAL for delaying the system. Excluding NBP, another bank is not co-operating with the CBR for smooth implementation of the project.
The CBR is depending upon the NBP for the implementation of the new automation system, but it is not being implemented due to Pral's failure, the official informed the conference. Meanwhile, CBR Chairman directed the Pral to go ahead for timely completion of assignments including banking automation project, sources added.
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