Despite sit-ins on the Constitution Avenue following Azadi and Inqilab marches of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) remained open. Chairman FBR Tariq Bajwa and FBR Senior Member Inland Revenue Shahid Hussain Asad performed their routine official duties on Wednesday.
The overall presence of the staff and officers at the FBR was very low due to situation on the Constitution Avenue. However, FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa and FBR Senior Member Inland Revenue Shahid Hussain Asad visited FBR for keeping themselves abreast with the latest revenue collection position across the country.
Due to blockade at all the main routes leading to Capital, a large number of staff and officers were unable to turn up, but the top tax management including many senior members visited the Board's Headquarters. The main gates of the FBR remained locked throughout the day and only concerned staff/officers were allowed to enter the premises after their identification.
However, no meeting has been convened at the FBR House but FBR Chairman performed his official duty during his 3-4 hours stay at the FBR. When contacted, sources said that the FBR has provisionally collected Rs 6-7 billion on Tuesday (August 19) and Wednesday (August 20). On average basis-FBR was able to daily collect Rs 6-7 billion during the last two days. The civil disobedience' of the PTI did not have any negative impact on the revenue collection of the FBR. The monthly revenue collection position of the FBR is still satisfactory during August 2014.
When asked whether revenue collection from Regional Tax Office Islamabad and RTO Rawalpindi has been affected due to prevailing situation in twin cities of Rawalpindi-Islamabad, sources said that the RTO Islamabad and Rawalpindi are not major revenue contributors. Pindi and Islamabad are not big revenue collection points. However, other LTUs and RTOs in other cities of the country are performing well, they added.