Starting October 1, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will intensify enforcement against non-filers, including travel restrictions and other punitive actions.
A senior FBR official noted that from October 1, rigorous measures will be enacted to achieve a tax goal of about 13 trillion rupees. The board will issue final notices to millions of non-filers.
The FBR also plans to cut off mobile SIM and utility services like electricity and gas for non-filers. Moreover, proposals exist to restrict non-filers from transacting in property and vehicles.
Tax returns for fiscal year 2024 must be filed by September 30. Failure to do so will result in a double withholding tax.
Post-deadline, the FBR will conduct thorough audits of taxpayers. The aim is to collect significant taxes from ten key sectors, including retail and real estate.
Holding detailed records of citizen transactions, the FBR will impose hefty fines for evasion or misreporting.
The government has allocated an additional Rs34 billion to modernize the FBR to support the fiscal year’s ambitious tax target.
Furthermore, the FBR plans to engage intelligence agencies to pinpoint corrupt officers.
As part of this enforcement strategy, the government seeks to raise Rs450 billion by digitally tracking Rs48 trillion worth of services sector supplies in the next three months.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has endorsed these measures, crucial for achieving the fiscal year’s tax target of Rs12.97 trillion.
