KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) allowed automated issuance of exemption certificate in case commissioner delays in approval.
Tax experts at PwC A F Ferguson Chartered Accountants said Clause (72B) contained in Part IV of the Second Schedule to the ITO 2001 allows a taxpayer to obtain a withholding exemption certificate from the concerned Commissioner Inland Revenue so as to avoid tax collection at import stage.
Due to procedural issues, hardships were being faced by taxpayer in getting such withholding exemption certificates renewed, which are generally issued for 6-months validity although tax liability for the entire year as prescribed is discharged.
To facilitate the taxpayers, the relevant clause has now been amended to provide for automatic approval of application filed on FBR’s IRIS portal for renewal of the certificate in case no action is taken by the Commissioner by the expiry of prescribed time period.
The concerned Commissioner has, however, been empowered to cancel or modify any such certificate automatically issued on IRIS but any such cancellation or modification may be made after granting the taxpayer an opportunity of being heard and for reasons to be recorded by the Commissioner in writing.
