ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has launched facility for online verification of exemption certificates to facilitate taxpayers and check certain malpractices.

The facility is expected to resolve the long-standing problem faced by the withholding agents and put an end to the practice of using fake exemption certificates to evade genuine tax liability, officials sources said.

The facility, launched by the Information Technology (IT) Wing of the board has been placed at website of the board which could be accessed through web-link https://e.fbr.gov.pk/esbn/.

The facility would allow both withholding agents as well as general public to verify the authenticity of system generated exemption certificate on the basis of bar code given on the certificate.

In case of genuine exemption certificate, the screen would display information that would show registration number, name of taxpayer, tax year, section, date of issuance and validity date.

As the next step in this exercise, the IT wing of the board plans to provide further verification services for notices and other orders as well, they added.

The extended verification facility, which would be available within a fortnight, would combine all existing and future verification services in one place on the FBR’s website and all the taxpayers would be able to check the genuineness of all correspondence with the board.