Senate body hails FBR reforms process

ISLAMABAD: The Senate's Committee on Delegated Legislation on Wednesday hailed the reforms and automation process initiated by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to improve its performance.

The committee, which met under the chairmanship of Khuda Babar, was of the view that streamlining of FBR affairs would help facilitate general public in going through tax-filing process.

The committee also emphasized on introducing the best international practices, wherein less human interferences through use of modern technological tools was made possible.

The Senate body was briefed by FBR officials on the subordinate legislation; rules, regulations, orders, SROs, bylaws schemes. It was informed that the acts of Parliament and rules and regulations related to the FBR were available on the latter's  website.

The committee decided to go through all the pieces of parent and subordinate legislation.

FBR Chairman Shabbar Zaidi told the committee that one of the objectives of FBR  was to make the tax system simpler and implementable.

He clarified before the committee that no consumer item had been additionally taxed, except sugar the tax of which had gone up from 11 % to 17 %.

On the complaint of members that many stores were charging sales tax other than the tagged prices on products, an FBR official said that an SRO was being issued to all the clothing markets to include the tax in the tagged price and no money could be overcharged after going to counters.

The committee also discussed issues faced by public in filing of tax returns, mobile phone registration, and taxation in ex-FATA.

Among others, the meeting was attended by senators Dr Asad Ashraf, Saleem Zia, Rubina Khalid, Kalsoom Parveen, Mir Hasil Bizenjo, Min Raza Rabbani and Mirza Muhammad Afridi, besides FBR chairman and other senior officials.