ISLAMABAD: Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to immediately expedite the process of integration between the online filing system of FBR and Provincial Revenue Authorities for a single sales tax return and single web portal.

In this regard, the FTO has issued instructions to the FBR through an order issued on Thursday.

In its order, the FTO said that till date the concept of single sales tax return did not materialise.

The complaint was filed by the Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Associations (PHMA) in terms of Section 10(1) of the Federal Tax Ombudsman Ordinance, 2000 for inordinate delays in refund claims of sales tax on services by textile exporters due to lack of integration of sales tax filing system of FBR & provinces.

According to the FTO order, the FBR should direct the Member (IT), Member Tax Policy and Member (Ops) to expedite the process of integration/synchronisation between the online filing system of FBR and Provincial Revenue Authorities including Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Revenue Authority for a single sales tax return and single web portal as per commitment made through Office memorandum for ‘Launching of single sales tax return’ expeditiously without further delay.

Meanwhile, the field formations be directed to process the pending deferred refund claims on services in terms of FBR’s Circular No. 01/ 2020 (IR Operations) dated 04.08.2020 read with FBR’s amending order dated 11.05.2023 on merit and in accordance with law.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023