A meeting with the representatives of hotels & restaurants in Karachi was held in the office of the Chief Commissioner, Regional Tax Office-Ill, Karachi with regard to new Income Tax and Sales Tax Registrations and filing of correct declarations by the registered persons. The meeting was attended by the representatives of Pakistan Food Association and All Pakistan Restaurants Association.
Farzana Jabeen, Commissioner Inland Revenue, and Afaque Ahmed Qureshi, Additional Commissioner (HQs), RTO-III, Karachi informed them of the legal position regarding registration under the Sales Tax Act in respect of hotels and restaurants irrespective of their turn-over as such business has been classified as services rendered for which no threshold of turn over has been provided under the Sales Tax Law.
The office bearers and representatives were informed that 1600 new units have been identified by RTO-III, which are required to be registered under the Sales Tax Act 1990 read with Provincial Sales Tax Ordinance 2000. The statutory notices to such prospective non-registered persons have already been issued. The office bearers and representatives of the associations were urged to motivate their members to get themselves registered in the tax net.
The members of the association expressed their full support in this regard and assured of their co-operation. Rafique Rangoonwala from Pakistan Food Association, Muhammad Umer Qasim, Shaukat Ali, Shakir Yousuf, Furqan Siddiqui, Muhammad Wassi, Muhammad Ahmed, Nasir Jawed and others from All Pakistan Restaurants Association participated in the discussions. The various options were suggested for ease in registration process. They were also informed that now one window set-up has been established in RIO-III Karachi, whereby all registration matters would be dealt.
The participants expressed their appreciation over this meeting, as according to them this was the first time that Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) called the stakeholders on board in its drive for new taxpayers. The meeting ended with the vote of thanks.-PR