Taxpayers are facing difficulties in revising their monthly sales tax returns owing to complicated procedures. A large number of revised sales tax returns, filed by the taxpayers, are awaiting approval of the sales tax collectors, who were authorised, under the amended sales tax act, to grant permission for revision of returns.
Talking to Business Recorder on Friday, Khushnood A. Khan, President, Karachi Sales Tax Bar Association (KSTBA) said that income tax taxpayers have complete authority to revise their returns within five years. However, the rights of taxpayers are very limited in sales tax regime where taxpayers have to revise their monthly returns within a short period of six months.
He said the taxpayers could earlier revise their returns without any permission of sales tax collectors. But, after the commencement of FBR web portal, the revision in sales tax returns could only be entertained, if the collectors granted permission in this regard. He said that taxpayers, who were already facing hardships to deal with FBR web portal, are suffering more because of unfriendly attitude of sales tax staff.
He said the staff in sales tax office is issuing general intimation letters without reviewing taxpayers' status and ask for several irrelevant documents. He said the letter has asked them to provide complete details not only for a specific month but also for the whole year.
Khushnood said the process of revision of sales tax returns should be completed within the stipulated time of one week and added that sales tax officials should ask for relevant records only. He urged the concerned authority to intervene in the matter and take positive measure to resolve the issue on priority basis. He said that the board should direct sales tax collectorates to follow the method of income tax office. When contacted, Ibrahim Vigio, Collector Sales Tax Collectorate, declined to discuss the matter.