Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA) requested the Prime Minister Imran Khan to extend the last date of Assets Declaration Scheme 2019, commonly known as Amnesty Scheme 2019, by July 31. In a letter sent to the PM Khan, the KTBA wrote although the last date to avail the Assets Declaration Scheme 2019 is going to expire on June 30, innumerable cases are still in pipeline where taxpayers are unable to file their amnesties due to paucity of time and slow speed of the IRIS software of the FBR.
It said the ordinance was promulgated on May 14, 2019 but the filing under the scheme accelerated only after the launch of the online citizen profile on NADRA and tax-profile on FBR on its 'Malumaat' application which took the public in general by surprise and after which considerable discomfort and anxiety echoed in the ranks, which resulted in the radical change in the perception of seriousness of the amnesty drive by the FBR as was factually reflected by it.
However, since all these announcements were made only a few days before the June 30th which left very short time to fill in and to file the amnesty even if someone genuinely wants to. Moreover, it said the decision to upload the personal data of around 53 million citizens online was also taken without following a stakeholder process and is quite concerning among the public that also created panic on the way to avail the benefits of the scheme. Further, FBR and the SBP's delayed response on the clarifications for implementation of scheme like foreign currency remittance/accounts etc is also delaying the process of declaration filing. Keeping the said in view, the KTBA has requested the PM Khan to give directions to the ministry to extend the late date of filing of amnesties till July 31.