Islamabad, September 26, 2024 – The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is preparing to implement strict enforcement actions against non-filers of income tax returns, following the approval of the prime minister.
Dr. Hamid Ateeq Sarwar, FBR Member Inland Revenue (Policy), revealed these plans on Wednesday, affirming that the government has no intentions of introducing any new taxation measures or a mini-budget for the fiscal year 2024-25.
Speaking to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, Dr. Sarwar clarified that the government’s immediate focus is on enforcing compliance from non-filers and tightening restrictions on individuals, including filers, who are involved in significant under-declaration or mis-declaration of their income in tax returns. The enforcement measures aim to improve transparency and increase the tax net without placing additional tax burdens on the general public.
Dr. Sarwar also emphasized that the deadline for filing income tax returns would not be extended beyond September 30, 2024. As of now, six million individuals have filed their returns for the tax year 2023, a figure that is expected to rise due to the ongoing campaign targeting non-filers. Out of the six million returns filed, a staggering 2.5 million are zero-income returns, highlighting a significant number of individuals declaring no taxable income.
In response, the FBR has set up a system to block financial transactions for those filing zero-income returns until they provide proper documentation explaining their sources of income. This move is expected to clamp down on tax evasion and encourage greater compliance.
While addressing the media at the Parliament House, Dr. Sarwar also outlined the FBR’s plan to meet its revenue collection target of Rs2,652 billion for the first quarter of the fiscal year 2024-25, which ends in September. The FBR is optimistic about collecting Rs50 billion alongside tax returns, with additional contributions from advance tax payments, primarily from corporate entities and banks. He also noted that gas companies are expected to contribute their due share of taxes within the current month.
Additionally, the FBR aims to broaden the scope of its taxation by expanding the number of Tier-I retailers, adding standalone stores to the category. This effort is part of a broader strategy to bolster tax compliance and revenue generation across different sectors.
The government’s decision to focus on enforcement rather than introducing new taxes reflects its commitment to maintaining fiscal discipline while ensuring that all eligible individuals and businesses contribute their fair share to national revenue.
