The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has informed Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar that the lists of 100 top taxpayers in each category of companies, Association of Persons and salaried individuals/non-salaried individuals are being verified with the Large Taxpayer Units (LTUs) and Regional Tax Offices (RTOs) for issuance of Taxpayer Privileges and Honor Cards in March 2014.
It is learnt that the issue of Taxpayer Privileges and Honor Cards was discussed threadbare during the visit of Ishaq Dar to the FBR House and chaired a meeting to review the progress of Revenue Collection and implementation of Prime Minister's Tax Incentive Package.
Tax authorities informed the Finance Minister that LTU/RTOs have received separate lists of the corporate taxpayers, Association of Persons (AOPs) and individual taxpayers for verification of the names/pictures of the top taxpayers of the country. The Chief Commissioners of LTUs and RTOs are verifying particulars of top one hundred salaried and non-salaried individual taxpayers, top one hundred AOPs and top one hundred companies.
The holder of the card shall be entitled to and enjoy the following privileges: The facilities and privileges as provided at the VIP lounges of airports managed by Civil Aviation Authority excluding lounges managed and maintained by Airlines for their passengers; secondly, fast-track clearance at immigration counters; thirdly, issuance of gratis passport. Fourthly, increase in baggage allowance from $500 to $5,000; fifthly, invitation for Annual dinner and Excellence Awards by the Prime Minister and invitation for ceremonies on 23rd March and 14th August.
The FBR has also informed that the list has been compiled on the basis of the return or statement of final taxation has been fully paid and no arrear or current demand is outstanding against the individual the AOP, or the company, as the case may be, unless the said demand is disputed in any court or stayed by any court.
Chairman FBR Tariq Bajwa briefed the Minister about the details of the recently launched Taxpayer Privileges and Honor Card Scheme as well as the Prime Minister's Tax Incentive Scheme to expand the tax base. He also briefed the Minister about the progress on revenue collection and said that FBR is working towards achievement of the assigned targets. Ishaq Dar expressed satisfaction over the revenue collection performance of FBR for the month of January 2014. He urged FBR to keep up the momentum, so that the revenue collection target of February 2014 is also met.