Tag: FBR

FBR, Pakistan’s national tax collecting agency, plays a crucial role in the country’s economy. Pakistan Revenue is committed to providing readers with the latest updates and developments regarding FBR activities.

  • Finance Act 2020: Cash payment Rs250,000 allowed as deduction

    Finance Act 2020: Cash payment Rs250,000 allowed as deduction

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has relaxed the condition for business community by allowing deduction of cash payment up to Rs250,000 while computing business income.

    According to Finance Act 2020 approved by the National Assembly amendments have been introduced to Section 21 of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

    Section 21 of the Ordinance prescribes a list of expenditures that are not allowed as a deduction when computing Income from Business.

    This includes certain expenditures that are not made through banking channels if they exceed the prescribed thresholds.

    According to EY Ford Rhodes Chartered Accountants, the Finance Bill had proposed to enhance the threshold of aggregate expenditure under a single account head from Rs50 thousand to Rs250 thousand, not made through banking channels, that would be allowed as a deduction when computing Income from Business..,

    Further the relaxation of a single cash transaction in the above limit has been enhanced from Rs10 thousand to Rs25 thousand.

    Similarly, the threshold of salary, not paid through banking channels, has been proposed to be increased from Rs15 thousand to Rs25 thousand.

    Similar to the provisions of the sales tax laws, the Bill also proposes to introduce a new Clause whereby an industrial undertaking would not be entitled to claim a deduction for any expenditure attributable to sales made to persons required to be registered but not registered under the Sales Tax Act, 1990 computed according to the following formula, namely;

    (A/B) x C

    Where –

    A is the total amount of deductions claimed;

    B is the turnover for the tax year; and

    C is the total amount of sales exclusive of sales tax and federal excise duty to persons required to be registered but not registered under the Sales Tax Act, 1990 where sales equal or exceed rupees 100 million per person.

    Provided that disallowance of expenditure under this Clause shall not exceed twenty percent of total deductions claimed and that the FBR may, by notification in the official Gazette, exempt persons or classes of persons from this Clause on the basis of hardship.

    Another Clause is also proposed to be inserted under which any expenditure on account of utility bills in excess of prescribed limits and conditions would not be allowed as a deduction.

  • Finance Act 2020: Suppression of sales to be taxed under income from business

    Finance Act 2020: Suppression of sales to be taxed under income from business

    An attempt by a businessman to suppress sales chargeable to tax in order to reduce tax liability shall be taxed under the head of income from business, according to the Finance Act 2020 recently passed by the National Assembly.

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  • Finance Act 2020: taxpayers given deadline of December 31 to update profile

    Finance Act 2020: taxpayers given deadline of December 31 to update profile

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has given taxpayers a deadline of December 31, 2020 to complete their profile through online system otherwise their name will be removed from active taxpayers list (ATL).

    The National Assembly approved the new amendment of taxpayers profiling through new section 114A to Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

    Section 114A: Taxpayer’s profile:

    Sub-section 1: Subject to this ordinance, the following persons shall furnish a profile, namely:

    (a) Every person applying for registration under section 181;

    (b) Every person deriving income chargeable to tax under the head, “income from business”;

    (c) Every person whose income is subject to final taxation;

    (d) Any non-profit organization as defined in clause (36) of Section 2;

    (e) Any trust or welfare institution; or

    (f) Any other person prescribed by the Board [FBR].

    Sub-section 2: A taxpayer’s profit:-

    (a) Shall be in the prescribed form and shall be accompanied by such annexures, statements or documents as may be prescribed;

    (b) Shall fully state, in the specified form and manner, the relevant particulars of –

    (i) Bank accounts;

    (ii) Utility connections;

    (iii) Business premises including all manufacturing, storage or retail outlets operated or leased by the taxpayer;

    (iv) Types of businesses; and

    (v) Such other information as may be prescribed;

    (c) Shall be signed by the person being an individual, or the person’s representative where section 172 applies; and

    (d) Shall be filed electronically on the web as prescribed by the Board [FBR].

    Sub-section 3: A taxpayer’s profile shall be furnished:-

    (a) On or before the 31st day of December 2020 in case of a person registered under Section 181 before the 30the day of September, 2020; and

    (b) Within ninety days registration in case of a person not registered under section 181 before the 30th day of September,2020.

    Sub-Section 4: A taxpayer’s profile shall be updated within ninety days of change in any of the relevant particulars of information as mentioned in clause (b) of sub-section (2).

  • Nausheen Amjad removed from post of FBR chairperson

    Nausheen Amjad removed from post of FBR chairperson

    ISLAMABAD: The government on Saturday removed the chairperson of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Ms. Nausheen Javaid Amjad and assigned look after charge to another senior officer of Pakistan Customs Service (PCS) with immediate effect.

    Ms. Nausheen Javaid Amjad was assigned the post of FBR chairperson on April 08, 2020 after the resignation of Syed Muhammad Shabbar Zaidi, who served as FBR Chairman from private sector during May 10, 2019 to April 08, 2020.

    Sources said that the removal of Ms. Nausheen was linked to the tax profile of wife of Justice Qazi Faiz Essa. The sources said that Ms. Nausheen had not compromised the integrity of tax department.

    The Establishment Division on Saturday issued a notification and assigned additional charge of the post of FBR Chairman to Muhammad Javed Ghani, a BS-22 officer of PCS, presently posted as Member, FBR, for a period of three months or till the posting /appointment of a regular incumbent, whichever is earlier, with immediate effect.

  • FBR extends date for retail outlet integration up to August 31

    FBR extends date for retail outlet integration up to August 31

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Friday extended date for retailers to integrate their Point of Sale (POS) up to August 31, 2020.

    The last date for integrating the POS for Tier-1 retailers was June 30, 2020.

    The FBR said that only those retailers can integrate their POS by August 31 who submit their intention to RTOs/LTUs by August 20, 2020.

    FBR sources said that the decision had been taken due to lockdown in the many parts of the country in order to prevent spread of coronavirus the business activities had become stand still.

    They said that big outlets and shopping plazas are observing closure during the lockdown and many of those big retailers would not able to make compliance.

    The deadline was expired on December 15, 2019 which was given by the FBR to tier-1 retailers to integrate their POSs with the FBR online system. However, the date was extended in order to give opportunity to big retailers to make compliance.

    All tier-1 retailers are required to integrate all their POSs with FBR’s computerized system.

    Tier-1 retailer is defined in section 2(43A) of the Sales Tax Act, 1990, to be a person who falls in any of the following categories:

    (a) a retailer operating as a unit of a national or international chain of stores;

    (b) a retailer operating in an air-conditioned shopping mall, plaza or centre, excluding kiosks;

    (c) a retailer whose cumulative electricity bill during the immediately preceding twelve consecutive months exceeds Rupees twelve hundred thousand;

    (d) a wholesaler-cum-retailer, engaged in bulk import and supply of consumer goods on wholesale basis to the retailers as well as on retail basis to the general body of the consumers; and

    (e) a retailer, whose shop measures one thousand square feet in area or more.

  • Finance Act 2020: Commissioner empowered to cancel exemption certificate

    Finance Act 2020: Commissioner empowered to cancel exemption certificate

    ISLAMABAD: A commissioner of Inland Revenue has been authorized to cancel or modify exemption certificate issued automatically by online system IRIS.

    Through Finance Act, 2020 amendment has been made to Section 153 of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

    As per the amendment the commissioner of Inland Revenue of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is required to issue certificate to taxpayer within prescribed time frame. However, if application is filed by taxpayer and commissioner fails to take action than the IRIS will automatically issue certificate to the taxpayer.

    However, the commissioner is empowered to modify or cancel the certificate on reasonable ground.

    The amendment in this regard is as:

    “Provided that the Commissioner shall issue certificate for payment under clause (a) of sub-section (1) without deduction of tax within fifteen days of filing of application to a public company listed on a registered stock exchange in Pakistan if advance tax liability has been discharged.

    “Provided further that the Commissioner shall be deemed to have issued the exemption certificate upon the expiry of fifteen days to the aforesaid public listed company and the certificate shall be automatically processed and issued by Iris:

    “Provided also that the Commissioner may modify or cancel the certificate issued automatically by IRIS on the basis of reasons to be recorded in writing after providing an opportunity of being heard.”

  • FBR exempts customs duty on oxygen gas, cylinder import

    FBR exempts customs duty on oxygen gas, cylinder import

    In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) announced on Wednesday an exemption from customs duty on the import of oxygen gas and oxygen gas cylinders. This measure aims to ensure the availability of these essential supplies as the country battles the spread of the virus.

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  • Security forces to provide monthly details of confiscated smuggled goods to FBR

    Security forces to provide monthly details of confiscated smuggled goods to FBR

    ISLAMABAD: Security forces engaged in anti-smuggling activities to submit monthly seizure report to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

    The FBR issued SRO 578, 579 and 580(I)/2020 to amend Customs Act, 1969 making it mandatory for security forces to furnish monthly report of seizure report to the customs authorities.

    The FBR has entrusted Frontier Corps, Pakistan Rangers, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency and Pakistan Coast Guards to exercise the powers of customs authorities in preventing smuggling.

    The Pakistan Rangers and Frontier Corps have been authorized to exercise powers of customs officials against smuggling since 2010. Meanwhile, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency and Pakistan Coast Guards was entrusted to exercise powers of customs officials since 2014.

    The FBR every year extends the authority in the month of June. Through the latest SROs the FBR extended the powers till June 30, 2021.

    As per the SROs the law enforcement agencies are required to provide details of seized goods/vehicles handed over to Pakistan Customs in a month to the Collector of Customs (Enforcement and Compliance) within their respective jurisdiction by 5th day of each month.

  • FBR imposes up to seven percent additional customs duty

    FBR imposes up to seven percent additional customs duty

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has started preparation for achieving revenue collection target for fiscal year 2020/2021 as it massively increased additional customs duty up to 7 percent from July 01, 2020.

    The FBR issued SRO 572(I)/2020 on Tuesday for levying additional customs duty at different rates of two percent, four percent and seven percent.

    The FBR provisionally collected Rs3.957 trillion for fiscal year 2019/2020. As per budget documents the FBR has been assigned to collect Rs4,963 billion during the fiscal year 2020/2021, which is around 25 percent higher than collection of fiscal year 2019/2020..

    The government while presenting the budget 2020/2021 had claimed that the budget was tax free and it had not levied any duty and tax in order to provide relief to the masses amid outbreak of coronavirus.

    However, as per the notification additional customs duty at two percent has been imposed on goods imported under tariff slabs of zero percent, three percent and 11 percent.

    Another rate of four percent additional customs duty has been levied on goods imported under tariff slab of 16 percent.

    While the rate additional customs duty at seven percent has been applied on goods imported under tariff slab of 20 percent and above.

    However, import of edible crude oil which are subject to import at higher tariff slab, the additional customs duty shall be charged at the rate of two percent, the FBR said.

    The FBR further said that additional customs duty would not be applicable on the goods imported under concessionary regime for exporters.

    Further, the additional customs duty shall also not be applicable on the contractors and services companies for offshore projects.

  • FBR surpasses fiscal year 2019/2020 collection target

    FBR surpasses fiscal year 2019/2020 collection target

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has surpassed revenue collection target of Rs3,907 billion for fiscal year 2019/2020, which was significantly lower due to coronavirus adverse impact on the economy.

    FBR official spokesman on Tuesday said that the tax authorities had surpassed the downward revised target of Rs3,907 billion and collected Rs3,957 billion be Tuesday evening.

    The spokesman said that the gross collection of the FBR also recorded above Rs4,000 billion for the first time in the history. The collection is considerably high considering the adverse impact of coronavirus.

    The collection in the month of June 2020 also recorded at Rs411 billion by 3:00PM on June 30, 2020 as against the June target of Rs398 billion.

    It is important to note that the FBR had lost around 30 officials due to the pandemic, which also included a grade 22 officer Muhammad Zahid Khokhar.

    The FBR praised its officials for their dedication toward revenue collection despite threat of COVID.