FBR to launch crackdown against non-compliant professionals

FBR to launch crackdown against non-compliant professionals

KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will initiate action against professionals including lawyers, doctors and chartered accountants, who are not on the Active Taxpayers List (ATL).

Sources in FBR told PkRevenue.com that Section 114 of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 explained persons or companies required to file their income tax returns.

The FBR sources said that on the directives of the government the tax machinery had launched massive drive against undocumented economy and tax evasion.

The sources said that professionals had also come under the FBR radar under the ongoing drive.

They said that return filing is a mandatory for a resident person registered with any chamber of commerce and industry or any trade or business association or any market committee or any professional body including Pakistan Engineering Council, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, Pakistan Bar Council or any Provincial Bar Council, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan or Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan.

The sources said that many professionals are working in the undocumented economy and receiving fees without issuing invoices.

Sources in Regional Tax Office (RTO)-II Karachi told that recently survey teams had pointed out many businessmen, doctors, chartered accountants, cost accountants, lawyers and other professionals were not paying taxes as per their income.

The sources said that in some cases investigation had been conducted where professionals were taking huge sum of amount from companies as benefits, besides frequently going abroad.

Some FBR officials told that they had filed suits regarding against decisions of the board and lawyers hired for the cases demanded payment in cash instead banking transactions.

The sources said that the filing of income tax returns has been extended up to August 02, 2019 for all the categories of individuals and companies.

After the expiry of date the FBR will launch mega drive against the non-compliant professionals, the sources added.