Tax evasion, undocumented deals: FBR launches action against government departments, PSEs

The Federal Board of Revenue has launched countrywide action against government departments, public sector organisations and autonomous bodies, involved in purchasing taxable goods from unregistered persons without payment of sales tax, leading to tax evasion and discouraging documentation.
Sources told Business Recorder here on Monday that the FBR has issued instructions to all Federal and Provincial Secretaries on the purchases of sales taxable goods by government departments and for government works from unregistered persons. The government purchases from the sales tax registered persons would not only improve sales tax collection, but also encourage documentation of economy and compliance of tax laws.
The FBR has directed the federal and provincial secretaries that all the departments and offices under their control must ensure that the purchase of taxable goods may only be made from sales tax registered persons against sales tax invoice and payment through banking channel. Similarly, in case of public works, it may be ensured that the contractors engaged make purchases only from sales tax registered persons.
According to the FBR instructions, the government is making all possible efforts to broaden the tax base and collect the proper amount of revenue from all those liable to pay tax. However, it has come to the notice of the FBR that despite several previous instructions in this regard, some government departments, public sector organisations and autonomous bodies are still making purchases of sales taxable goods from unregistered persons. In addition, reports have been received that government works are being given to contractors who utilise sales taxable goods purchased from unregistered persons, without payment of sales tax. This practice not only leads to evasion of sales tax, but also enables unregistered suppliers to evade income tax and creates hurdles in the efforts to document the economy. It discourages registered persons because they are rendered uncompetitive against unregistered suppliers who do not charge or pay tax, and creates a serious barrier to the government's efforts to generate revenue and document the economy, the FBR said.
The FBR has categorically conveyed to the Federal and Provincial Secretaries, "There can be no dispute that all government departments are duty-bound required to implement the laws of Pakistan and to ensure fulfilment of all legal requirements of the Government, including those relating to taxation. Conscious and wilful non-compliance or knowingly ignoring violations of the law may reflect adversely upon the officers involved in such procurements," the FBR maintained.
It is therefore, again requested to advise all the departments and offices under your control to ensure that the purchase of taxable goods may only be made from sales tax registered persons against sales tax invoice and payment through banking channels, the FBR directed. In case of public works, it may be ensured that the contractors engaged make purchases only from sales tax registered persons. Since contractors carrying out government works against public tender are required to have a BOQ (Bill of Quantity), the contracting department/organisation must require such contractors to present sales tax invoices of all the material mentioned in the BOQ as evidence of its legal purchase, before payment is released to them. At the time of audit, it may be ensured that the abovementioned legal requirements have been fulfilled, the FBR added.