KARACHI: Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmed, Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), has announced cash reward for officials of Inland Revenue Enforcement Network (IREN) for conducting successful raids against illegal sugar bags.
A statement issued on Saturday said that the Chairman had appreciated the performance of IREN squads and announced a cash reward for those officers, who conducted successful raids. He stated that the Track & Trace system coupled with IREN’s valiant drive would help overcome the menace of non-tax paid goods in the market.
It is pertinent to mention that the Prime Minister of Pakistan has recently launched a Track & Trace System on the Sugar Sector. Therefore, IREN has also been entrusted to ensure its enforcement in the entire supply chain of the Sugar Industry.
For this purpose, the Chief Coordinator IREN and his Regional Enforcement Squads across Pakistan are geared to conduct raids and ensure seizures on the non-tax paid sugar stocks, which move out of the factory premises/warehouses without tax stamps.
As a result, IREN Squads have intensified their operations in every nook and corner of the country, against the non-compliant supply chain operators dealing in the sugar sector in order to maximize revenue potential.
The Squads have raided various sugar dealers in almost all big cities and various small towns to check sugar stocks. During these raids Hyderabad Squad has seized stock of 172 sugar bags without affixing of Tax Stamps in the premises of M/s Gulzar & Co. The stock of 172 sugar bags was seized and legal action was being initiated against those who were found involved in the tax evasion.
Building on its momentum to maximize tax compliance, FBR IREN squads, has seized 8,320,000 illegal cigarettes worth Rs. 21,479,625 involving duties and taxes of Rs. 17,242,635 in the month of November, 2021. Likewise, in the first five months of FY- 2021-22, IREN has seized non duty / tax paid cigarettes of Rs. 177,959,737 (approximately 74,131,500 sticks) resulting in detection of evasion of duties and taxes worth Rs. 142,905,265.
