Tag: Federal Board of Revenue

The Federal Board of Revenue is Pakistan’s apex tax agency, overseeing tax collection and policies. Pakistan Revenue is committed to providing timely updates on the Federal Board of Revenue to its readers.

  • Persons not appearing in ATL will pay 100 percent increased withholding tax rate: FBR

    Persons not appearing in ATL will pay 100 percent increased withholding tax rate: FBR

    KARACHI: Persons whose names are not appearing in the Active Taxpayers List (ATL) will be subjected to hundred percent increased rate of withholding tax, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said in a circular issued to explain changes made in Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 through Finance Act, 2019.

    The FBR issued Circular No. 19 of 2019 and said that prior to Finance Act, 2019 a concept of non-filer existed in the Ordinance whereby higher tax rates of withholding were prescribed for persons who were non-filers.

    Such non-filers could claim adjustment of the higher tax collected at the time of filing of income tax returns. The aim was to compel the non-filers to file their returns of income. “However, it was observed that the non-filers, even though subjected to higher withholding rates, still had a propensity not to file their returns,” the FBR said.

    This proved detrimental to exercise of expansion or tax base. This was due to the absence of an explicit provision specifying a standard procedure for action against such persons.

    Through Finance Act, 2019 the concept of non-filers has been done away with and a new concept regarding persons not appearing in the active taxpayers list has been introduced. This concept is a m ore paradigm shift from the erstwhile non-filer higher tax regime in that it not only penalizes those persons not appearing in the ATL but also introduces an effective mechanism for enforcing returns from such persons.

    In this regard a new section 100BA to Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 has been introduced which provides that collection or deduction of advance income tax, computation of income and tax payable thereon shall be determined in accordance with the rules in the newly introduced ‘The Tenth Schedule’ which envisages the entire path to be adopted by the Inland Revenue Department to enforce returns from persons who make financial transactions yet choose not to file their returns of income.

    The FBR said that the persons whose names are not appearing in the ATL will be subjected to 100 percent increased tax rate.

    The FBR further said that where a withholding agent is of the opinion that 100 percent increased tax is not required to be collected on the basis that the person was not required to file return, the withholding agent shall furnish a notice to the commissioner having jurisdiction over withholding agent setting out –

    a. The name, CNIC or NTN and address of the person not appearing in the ATL

    b. The nature and amount of the transaction on which tax is required to be collected or deducted; and

    c. Reason on the basis of which it is considered that the person was not required to file return or statement, as the case may be.

  • Unexplained foreign remittances will be subject to tax: FBR

    Unexplained foreign remittances will be subject to tax: FBR

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Tuesday said that unexplained foreign remittances will be subject to income tax.

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  • FBR sets 200pc penalty for offshore tax evasion

    FBR sets 200pc penalty for offshore tax evasion

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Tuesday said the amended income tax law attract 200 percent penalty amount of tax evaded in cases of undeclared offshore assets.

    The FBR issued income tax circular to explain the changes brought through Finance Act, 2019 regarding offshore assets and tax evasion.

    The FBR said that through the Finance Act, 2019, the term “offshore Assets” has been defined by inserting a new clause (38AA) in section 2 of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, which includes any movable or immovable assets held, any again, profit or income derived, or any expenditure incurred outside Pakistan.

    The term “offshore evader” has been defined by inserting a new clause (38AB) in section 2 and it means a person who owns, possesses, control, or is the beneficial owner of an offshore assets and dos not declare, or under declares or provides inaccurate particulars of such assets to the Commissioners.

    Penalty has also been provided in serial No. 22 in sub section (1) of section 182 that where an offshore tax evader is involved in offshore tax evasion in the course of any proceedings under this Ordinance before any Income Tax authority or the appellate tribunal, such person shall pay a penalty of Rs100,000 or an amount equal to 200 percent of the tax sought to be evaded, whichever is higher.

    Prosecution for concealment of an offshore assets has been provided by inserting a new section 192B according to which any person who fails to declare an offshore assets to the Commissioner or furnishes inaccurate particulars of an offshore assets and the revenue impact of such concealment or furnishing of inaccurate particulars is ten million rupees or more shall commit an offence punishable on conviction with imprisonment up to three years or with a fine up to Rs. 500,000, or both.

    A new sub-section (5) has been added in section 145 as per which the Commissioner may freeze any domestic assets of a person where on the basis of information received from an offshore jurisdiction, the Commissioner has reason to believe the such person who is likely to leave Pakistan may be involved in offshore tax evasion or such person is about to dispose of any assets.

    The Commissioner may freeze any domestic assets of the person including any assets beneficially owned by such person for a period of 120 days or till the finalization of proceedings including recovery proceedings and any other proceeding under the Ordinance, whichever is earlier.

    The term “offshore enabler” has been defined by inserting a new clause (38AC) in section 2 to include any person who enables, assist, or advises any person to plan, design, arrange or manage a transaction or declaration relating to an offshore assets, which has resulted or may result in tax evasion.

    Penalty has been provided in serial no.23 of sub-section (1) of section 182 that where in the course of any transaction or declaration made by a person an enabler has enabled, guided, advised or managed any person to design, arrange or manage that transaction or declaration in such a manner which has resulted or may result in offshore tax evasion in the course of any proceedings under the Ordinance, such person shall pay a penalty of Rs 300,000 or an amount equal to 200 percent of the tax which was sought to be evaded, whichever is higher.

    Prosecution for enabling offshore tax evasion has been provided by inserting a new section 195B to the effect that any enabler who enables, guides or advises any person to design, arrange or manage a transaction or declaration in such a manner which results in offshore tax evasion, shall commit an offence punishable on conviction with imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years or with a fine up to five million rupees or both.

    The term “asset move “has been defined by inserting a new clause(5C) in section 2 and it means the transfer of non offshore assets to an unspecified jurisdiction by or an behalf of a person who owns, possesses, controls or is the beneficial owner of such offshore asset for the purpose of tax evasion.

    An unspecified jurisdiction means a jurisdiction which has not committed to automatically exchange information under the Common Reporting Standard with Pakistan. The term “specified jurisdiction “has been defined by inserting a new clause (60A) in section 2 and it means any jurisdiction which has committed to automatically exchange information under Common Reporting Standard with Pakistan.

    Penalty has also been provided in serial 24 of sub-section (1) of section 182 that any person who is involved in asset move from specified to un-specified territory shall pay a penalty of Rs. 100,000 or an amount equal to 100 percent of the tax, whichever is higher.

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    FBR makes mandatory purchase of immovable property through banking channel

  • FBR makes mandatory purchase of immovable property through banking channel

    FBR makes mandatory purchase of immovable property through banking channel

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has made mandatory the purchase of immovable property of fair market value above Rs5 million through banking channel.

    The FBR issued explanation to the Finance Act, 2019 on Tuesday regarding purchase of assets through banking channel under Section 75A of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

    The FBR said that a new section 75A has been introduced in the Ordinance which requires that no person shall purchase immovable property having fair market value greater than Rs.5,000,000 or any other asset having fair market value more than Rs.1,000,000 otherwise than by a crossed cheque drawn on a bank or through crossed demand draft or crossed pay order or any other crossed banking instrument showing transfer of amount from one bank account to another bank account.

    Fair market value of immovable property shall be the value notified by the Board under sub-section (4) of section 68 or the value fixed by provincial authority for the purpose of stamp duty, whichever is higher.

    In case the transaction is not through banking channel as specified above,-

    (a) such person cannot claim deductions mentioned in sections 22,23,24 & 25 on such assets. Hence, no deduction for depreciation, initial allowance, intangibles and pre-commencement expenditure shall be allowable for assets purchased otherwise than through banking channel as specified above;

    (b) the amount of purchased through cash which was required to paid through banking channel as stated above, shall not be treated as cost as per section 76 for computation of any gain in sale of such asset.
    Further, any person purchasing immovable property having fair market value greater than five million through cash or bearer cheque shall pay a penalty of 5% of the value of property determined by the Board under sub-section (4) of section 68 or the value determined by the provincial authority for the purposes of stamp duty, whichever is higher.

    The above provisions of law are illustrated through the following examples.

    Example 1

    Mr A is deriving income from business and has declared taxable income as under.

    Sale: 100,000,000.

    Cost of sales: 70,000,000.

    Breakup of cost of sale

    Initial depreciation on machinery: 10,000,000.

    Normal depreciation of machinery: 6,000,000.

    Salaries: 40,000,000.

    Fuel and utilities: 14,000,000.

    Gross profit: 30,000,000.

    Admin & distribution expenses: 10,000,000

    Taxable income: 20,000,000

    Mr. A had bought machinery of Rs40 million for the year through cash. As per section 75A, business deduction under section 22 & 23 pertaining to initial depreciation of Rs10,000,000 and normal depreciation of Rs6,000,000 shall not be admissible. Hence, Rs16,000,000 will be added in taxable income resulting in taxable income of Rs36,000,000.

    Mr. A subsequently sells the machinery after three years at Rs12,000,000. For the purpose of computing gain, the cost of the asset has to be deducted from the sale price but in this case, the machinery was purchased through cash, hence, the cash amount cannot be treated as cost. Resultantly, Rs12,000,000 will be treated as gain chargeable to tax under the head “income from business”.

    Example 2.

    Mr. B derives income from salary only. He has purchased immovable property through cash and the FBR value of the property is Rs8,000,000 but the DC value of property for the purpose of stamp duty is Rs6,000,000. As per serial No. 21 of section 182, penalty at 5 percent of FBR value of property of DC value, whichever is higher, is to be imposed. In this case, the FBR value of property is greater than DC value, hence penalty shall be imposed at 5 percent of Rs8,000,000 at Rs400,000.

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  • Draft MoU for sharing taxation data sent to China

    Draft MoU for sharing taxation data sent to China

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sent draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to China for sharing taxation data between the two countries.

    Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Syed Muhammad Shabbar Zaidi on Monday sent the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between FBR and China’s State Administration of Taxation in order to share taxation data between both the countries.

    A statement said that the draft MoU has been sent through a letter addressed to Pakistan’s Ambassador in China Ms Naghmana A. Hashmi.

    In this regard, Pakistan’s Ambassador in China has been authorized to sign the MoU on behalf of FBR.

    The FBR chairman in his letter has stated that the signing of the MoU will enable the Taxation Authorities of both the countries to share data and learn from each other’s best practices.

    The MoU will promote improvement in trade and investment in both countries.

  • FBR notifies revision in exemption regime under sales tax laws

    FBR notifies revision in exemption regime under sales tax laws

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued changes brought through Finance Act, 2019 in exemption regime under Sixth Schedule of the Sales Tax Act, 1990.

    Following changes have been made in Table-1 of the Schedule:

    i. Exemptions at the existing serial numbers 2,3, and 72, relating to meat, fish, poultry meat etc. have been amended to clearly provide that these exemptions also apply to products specified thereunder even if these products are packed.

    ii. Under serial number 19, the products of milling industry, as sold in retail packing bearing brand names, have been excluded from purview of exemption, however, wheat and meslin flour shall remain exempt even if so packed or sold under a brand name. Redundant PCT Heading 1102.1000 has also been omitted.

    iii. Serial numbers 36 and 37 pertaining to Gold and Silver, in unworked condition, have been omitted. Gold and Silver have been placed in the 8th schedule and chargeable to sales tax at the reduced rate of 1%. Gold and Silver have also been excluded from the purview of minimum value-addition tax of@ 3% at import stage under Twelfth Schedule.

    iv. The expression “excluding electricity and natural gas” has been added in serial number 52A relating to exemption on goods supplied to specified hospitals. Now, such hospitals are no more eligible for exemption on supplies of electricity and gas.

    v. The exemption at serial number 85, as available to fat filled milk, has been restricted to such milk as is not sold in retail packing under a brand name or a trademark. Such packed and branded fat filled milk now shall be subject to 10% sales tax under Eighth Schedule.

    vi. In view of doing away with the special procedure for steel industry, the exemption available to vessels / ships for breaking at serial number 95 has been omitted. Vessels imported for breaking up are now taxable at 17%. Field formations of Customs should ensure chargeability of sales tax on import of vessels since 1st July, 2019.

    vii. New serial number 151 has been added. This is a transposition of exemption under SRO 1212(I)/2018 which now has been rescinded and which provided exemption on supplies made within the tribal areas. In the transposed form, it allows further exemption on imports of industrial input including plant and machinery imported by industrial units located within tribal areas. These exemptions on imported inputs / plant and machinery shall be available subject to security mechanism specified under this serial.

    viii. Newly added serial 152 provides exemption on supplies of electricity as made to all consumers in tribal areas. However, this exemption shall neither be available to industries established after 31st May, 2018, nor to any steel and ghee /oil industries.

    ix. Through new serial number 153, imports and supplies by manufacturers of steel billets, ingots, ship plates, bars and other long re-rolled profiles, have been exempted. In lieu of this exemption, federal excise duty has been imposed on these items in sales tax mode.

    In Table-2, relating to local supplies, two changes have been made:

    (i) Exemption under serial number 16 shall not be available to ginned cotton, as the same has been subjected reduced rate of 10% in Eighth Schedule, at newly inserted serial number 65 in Table 1.

    (ii) The exemption to cottonseed oil has been provided at serial number 25.

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  • Non-ATL person to pay 10pc withholding tax for offshore digital service

    Non-ATL person to pay 10pc withholding tax for offshore digital service

    ISLAMABAD: Persons not appearing in the Active Taxpayers’ List (ATL) shall pay 10 percent as withholding tax on payment of fee for offshore digital service to non-resident person under Section 152(1C) of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued withholding tax card for tax year 2020 effective from July 01, 2019. The FBR said that tax shall be deducted on remittance outside Pakistan, of fee for off-shore digital services , chargeable to tax u/s 6, to a non-resident person on behalf of any resident or a permanent establishment of a non-resident in Pakistan.

    A banking company or financial institution shall collect withholding tax under this section from non-resident persons at the time the amount is actually paid at 5 percent of the gross amount.

    The FBR said that persons not appearing in the Active Taxpayers’ List: The applicable tax rate is to be increased by 100 percent (Rule-1 of Tenth Schedule to the Ordinance), i.e. 10 percent of the gross amount.

    The FBR said that tax will be deducted from Non-resident on any payment of insurance premium or re-insurance to a non-resident person under Section 52(1AA) of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 at 5 percent of gross amount by every person making the payments from non-resident person at the time the amount is actually paid.

    The FBR further said that tax will be deducted under Section 152 (1AAA) on payments for advertisement services from non-resident person relaying from outside Pakistan.

    The tax shall be collected by every person making payment non-resident at the time the amount is actually paid. The tax rate shall be 10 percent of the gross amount. Persons not appearing in the Active Taxpayers’ List : The applicable tax rate is to be increased by 100% (Rule-1 of Tenth Schedule to the Ordinance), i.e. 20% of the gross amount.

  • FBR issues new withholding sales tax rates on supplies

    FBR issues new withholding sales tax rates on supplies

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced new rates of withholding sales tax after abolishing Sales Tax Special Procedure (Withholding) Rules, 2007.

    The FBR said that as Sales Tax Special Procedure (Withholding) Rules, 2007, have been rescinded, the rates of withholding and exclusions for the same have been provided in newly inserted Eleventh Schedule, as provided in amended section 3(7) of Sales Tax Act, 1990, effective from July 01, 2019, as under:

    Table

    S.No.Withholding agentSupplier categoryRate or extent of deduction
    (1)(2)(3)(4)
    1(a) Federal and provincial government departments; autonomous bodies; and public sector organizations

     

    (b) Companies as defined in the Income

    Tax Ordinance, 2001 (XLIX of 2001)

    Registered personsl/5th of Sales Tax as shown on invoice
    2(a) Federal and provincial government departments; autonomous bodies; and public sector organizations

     

    (b) Companies as defined in the Income

    Tax Ordinance, 2001 (XLIX of 2001)

    Person registered as a wholesaler, dealer or distributor1/10th of Sales Tax as shown on invoice
    3Federal and provincial government departments; autonomous bodies; and public sector organizationsUnregistered personsWhole of the tax involved or as applicable to

     

    supplies on the basis of gross value of supplies

    4Companies as defined in the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 (XLIX of 2001)Unregistered persons5% of gross value of supplies
    5Registered persons as recipient of advertisement servicesPerson providing advertisement servicesWhole of sales tax applicable
    6Registered persons purchasing cane molasses.Unregistered personsWhole of sales tax applicable

    The rates for withholding or deduction by the withholding agent shall not be applicable on following goods and supplies:

    (i) Electrical energy;

    (ii) Natural gas;

    (iii) Petroleum products as supplied by petroleum production and exploration companies, oil refineries, oil marketing companies and dealers of motor spirit and high speed diesel;

    (iv) Vegetable ghee and cooking oil;

    (v) Telecommunication services;

    (vi) Goods specified in the Third Schedule to the Sales Tax Act, 1990;

    (vii) Supplies made by importers who paid value addition tax on such goods at the time of import; and

    (viii)  Supplies made by an Active Taxpayer as defined in the Sales Tax Act, 1990 to another registered persons with exception of advertisement services.

  • Imported consumer items to be cleared on declared retail prices: FBR

    Imported consumer items to be cleared on declared retail prices: FBR

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has said that the consumers items falling under mandatory retail price print will be assessed at declared retail price at clearance stage instead of determination through customs value.

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  • FBR notifies transfers, postings of BS-20 IRS officers

    FBR notifies transfers, postings of BS-20 IRS officers

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Friday notified transfers and postings of BS-20 officers of Inland Revenue Service (IRS) with immediate effect and until further orders.

    The FBR notified transfers and postings of following officers:

    01. Syed Syedain Raza Zaidi (Inland Revenue Service/BS-20) has been transferred and posted as Commissioner Inland Revenue (Appeals-III) Karachi from the post of Commissioner, (Zone-V) Corporate Regional Tax Office, Karachi. He will assume charge of post of Commissioner, Appeal-III, Karachi on proceeding of Hyder Ali Dharejo to NMC.

    02. Javaid Iqbal (Inland Revenue Service/BS-20) has been transferred and posted as Commissioner Inland Revenue (Appesls-III) Islamabad from the post of Commissioner, Inland Revenue (Appeals-I), Islamabad.

    03. Sajjad Akbar Khan (Inland Revenue Service/BS-20) is currently posted as Commissioner, Inland Revenue (Appeals-I), Karachi. He will hold additional Charge of post of CIR (Appeals-II), Karachi in addition to his own duties.

    04. Muhammad Javaid Badar (Inland Revenue Service/BS-20) has been transferred and posted as Commissioner Inland Revenue (Appeals) Faisalabad from the post of Commissioner, (Rahimyar Khan Zone) Regional Tax Office, Bahawalpur.

    05. Rafique-ur-Rehman Memon (Inland Revenue Service/BS-20) has been transferred and posted as Commissioner Inland Revenue (Appeals-IV) Karachi from the post of Director, Directorate of Immovable Property (South), Karachi. He will assume the charge of post of Commissioner Appeals-IV, Karachi on proceeding of Dr. Tauqeer Irtiza to NMC.

    06. Dr. Muhammad Idrees (Inland Revenue Service/BS-20) has been transferred and posted as Commissioner Inland Revenue (Appeals) Sargodha from the post of Commissioner, (Zone-II) Regional Tax Office, Sargodha.

    07. Muhammad Faisal Mushtaq Dar (Inland Revenue Service/BS-20) has been transferred and posted as Commissioner Inland Revenue (Appeals-I) Islamabad from the post of Commissioner, (WHT Zone) Regional Tax Office, Sargodha.

    The FBR said that the officers who are drawing performance allowance prior to issuance of this notification shall continue to draw this allowance on the new place of posting.