ISLAMABAD: Withholding agents are required to file statement of deduction and collection on quarterly basis instead bi-annual.
The change has been brought through Finance Act, 2020 by amending section 165 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.
Sources in Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said that the change was brought on the proposal of business community as submission of record bi-annual was creating difficulties.
The withholding statement was required to file on monthly basis. However, through Finance Supplementary (Second Amendment) Act, 2019 the relevant law was amendment and it was made on bi-annual basis.
And now it is again reduced to quarterly basis through Finance Act 2020.
The FBR sources said that the withholding statement is required to be submitted on:
(a) in respect of quarter ending on the 31st day of March, on or before the 20th day of April;
(b) in respect of quarter year ending on the 30th day of June, on or before the 20th day of July;
(c) in respect of quarter ending on the 30th day of September, on or before the 20th day of October; and
(d) in respect of quarter ending on or before the 31st day of December, on or before the 20th January.
The FBR sources said that the withholding agents would provide following details of persons whose tax were deducted along with the statement, which would include:
(a) the name, Computerized National Identity Card Number, National Tax Number and address of each person from whom tax has been collected under Division II of this Part or Chapter XII or the Tenth Schedule or to whom payments have been made from which tax has been deducted under Division III of this Part or Chapter XII or the Tenth Schedule in each quarter.
(b) the total amount of payments made to a person from which tax has been deducted under Division III of this Part or Chapter XII or the Tenth Schedule in each quarter.
(c) the total amount of tax collected from a person under Division II of this Part or Chapter XII or the Tenth Schedule or deducted from payments made to a person under Division III of this Part or Chapter XII or the Tenth Schedule in each quarter; and
(d) such other particulars as may be prescribed:
Provided that every person as provided in sub-section (1) shall be required to file withholding statement even where no withholding tax is collected or deducted during the period.
Explanation.— For the removal of doubt, it is clarified that this sub-section overrides all conflicting provisions contained in the Protection of Economic Reforms Act, 1992 (XII of 1992), the Banking Companies Ordinance, 1962 (LVII of 1962), the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947 (VII of 1947) and the regulations made under the State Bank of Pakistan Act, 1956 (XXXIII of 1956), if any, on the subject, in so far as divulgence of information under section 165 is concerned.
