Zone-B of Eastern Region will be setting up Tax Facilitation Centres/Camps (TFCs) at Haq Nawaz Road, Baghbanpura and Samanabad, from April 26 to 28, in a bid to facilitate trade and business communities of both areas in tax related matters. These TFCs, which are being established on the request of traders of both the areas, will provide necessary income tax-related information to taxpayers and also receive income tax returns from them, Commissioner of Income Tax (CIT) Zone-B Eastern Region Khawar Khurshid Butt told Business Recorder on Saturday.
He said taxation officers along with their staff would be available at those TFCs and assist traders in matters pertaining to income tax and also explain to them about the benefits of the Universal Self-Assessment Scheme (USAS) and National Tax Numbers (NTNs). They would also assist and guide the traders in matters pertaining to filing the income tax returns, he added.
He further said returns to be received at those camps would be accepted as it is and the receipt of the return would be considered as an assessment order. From the new taxpayers, returns would be received for the financial year 2004 and no information would be sought from them for the yesteryears. Moreover, they would not be questioned about their investments, source of income or details of assets etc.
The CIT Zone-B urged the trader's community to take advantage of that facility, which was being made available by the department at their doorsteps and file returns without out any fear.
About the experiment of these TFCs, Khawar Khurshid Butt said the department has received a very positive response from the traders' community. From December last year to-date, eight camps have been organised in the provincial capital with the co-operation of traders of the areas, including Liberty Market, Karim Block Allama Iqbal Town, Bilal Ganj, Shahdara, Chungi Amar Sidhu, Ferozepur Road, and Township. The total number of returns received at these TFCs comes to 1,844. Giving the break-up, he said 62 returns were received at Liberty Market camp, 183 at Allama Iqbal Town, 221 at Bilal Ganj, 418 at Shahdara, 430 at Chungi Amar Sidhu and 530 at Township.