E-filing system completely collapses

The new e-filing system through web-portal has collapsed and is not responding to the taxpayers who want to electronically file the returns. Taxpayers told Business Recorder on Saturday that they were facing serious problems in enrolment and filing of sales tax and federal excise returns through the newly devised system of web-portal on last date of filing of returns ie September 15.
The taxpayers in panic did not know where to go or where to lodge complaints about the failure of the e-filing system. A message in red colour has been displayed at the e-CBR portal, saying : "Don''t wait for enrolment; pay the sales tax and FED by using Sales Tax challan form". This was a clear indication that the taxpayers should manually deposit the sales tax returns, without obtaining enrolment with the system.
On the same web page, the board has also displayed another message, claiming: "Now you have a Virtual Tax Office working round the clock. Therefore, why visit Tax offices and submit returns manually. If you can easily prepare and submit returns electronically, without leaving your office or home, save your precious time; apply for e-Enrolment now, and enjoy the benefits of e-services offered by CBR Pakistan".
Taxpayers said that the system seemed to be overloaded with data, or does not have capacity to handle a large number of returns. They said they tried their level best to obtain enrolment with the new system, but there was no response. "It is not clear whether the system has in-built capacity to handle a large number of attachments and e-filing data".
A taxpayer claimed that the e-filing system had shown total failure on September 15, when a large number of taxpayers simultaneously tried to get enrolled. When you click for e-enrolment for category of corporate taxpayer/AOP taxpayers and individuals, it is impossible to get fresh enrolment.
Sources said that the taxpayers were also facing another major problem for depositing sales tax/federal excise at the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) branches through e-filing system. Taxpayers, who have submitted unique identification number along with the computerised printout of returns at banks, the NBP branches demanded manual returns. In many cases, banks had not given computerised payment receipts (CPR) to the taxpayers.
In one case, a taxpayer visited the NBP branch, Civic Centre Melody Market for depositing returns through the new system. The bank informed the taxpayer that it would accept manual return as the bank does not have the system to accept returns electronically. Sources said that taxpayers had made all preparations for e-filing during the last few days, and sudden change in the procedure for manual filing has disappointed them.
They have demanded to extend the date for filing of returns electronically. When this correspondent contacted relevant officials, they admitted that e-filing system of web-portal was not responding on the last date of filing of returns. However, they rejected the allegations that NBP branches were not issuing CPR to the taxpayers.
The taxpayers are duly issued the CPRs from the bank branches. There is a possibility that some taxpayers have not been given CPRs due to overcrowding at banks, but NBP branches, particularly Melody Branch, is highly equipped with the computerised system to generate CPRs.