Chief Commissioner Inland Revenue Services (IRS), Multan, Mian Munawar Ghafoor has said that only 60,000 out of total 3,00,000 registered tax-payers, while only 1.6 million out of 2.8 million NTN holders pay taxes. He said this while delivering his speech at a meeting of executive committee of MCCI chaired by its president Malik Asrar Ahmed Awan.
Munawar Ghafoor said, "We are introducing far-reaching tax-reforms with the consent of World Bank, national and international institutions and think-tanks to make it transparent and trust-worthy." He disclosed that the government had decided to collect the taxes based on utility bills, residences, vehicles, life-style and landed property.
He said that the government was taking measures to bring the tax to GDP ratio at 15 percent, which now fell to 9 from 13 percent. He stressed the need for confidence between the tax-payers and collectors. He said that value-added tax would be enforced from July 1, 2010.
He said, 'We do not recognise weakness in the system but simultaneously we are working towards the improvement in the FBR. The concerns of tax-payers are being given care and we do put in our efforts to have consultation bases solutions." Speaking about tax reforms Malik Asrar Ahmed Awan said that the tax reforms were to reduce contacts between the people and the tax administration.
The tax reforms of the last seven years has resulted in meeting the targets of FBR. The Universal Self-Assessment Scheme was a commendable job. There is a need to make amendments in statutes as well as building of institutions regulating the business.
He said that the office of the FTO should be strengthened to address the problem arising out of misuse of powers by the tax functionaries. He explained that the provisions of tax laws as the main reason for forcing the business to compromise with corruption. He recommended that to decrease corruption the government should avoid unilateral policy formulation, ad-hocism and to ensure implementation of the legislation.
Comments
Comments are closed.