ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will be heavily relying on third-party databases including banks, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to detect tax evasion.
The FBR’s Inland Revenue Strategic Reform Plan for 2021-2025 launched Wednesday revealed that the public and private sector data can only be used to detect tax evasion with minimum human contact if it is in standard format and up to date, reflecting economic activity as soon as possible. When data is accessible without much time lag, it makes verification simpler and possible. Updated databases will significantly improve the effectiveness of using third-party data, reduce the cost of administration and facilitate taxpayers.
The report said that the important data-generating processes of the economy will be identified, and technological bridges created with public and private entities carrying out and managing transactions with IT systems capable of transmitting data to IRS systems. Initially the focus will be on property transactions by non-governmental agencies, banks, the NADRA, utility companies, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) will be prioritized. The exchange of data will be real-time, or automatic periodic or electronic periodic. Software capacity will be developed to facilitate the automatic exchange of information, data warehousing and analysis.
The data centric administration will be developed through valuing the importance of data and adopting data-based decision making. We will improve our ability to manage existing data and expand our sources for data. The risk-based compliance management approach will be based on leveraging data to identify, prioritise, and action compliance risks, FBR said.
Data from other revenue authorities across the country, including Customs, Provincial Boards of Revenue, Excise and Taxation Departments and Provincial Revenue Authorities will be integrated with the IRS data and systems. The IRS will access data from these databases to conduct data-led assessments. The data will be used to define risk parameters for risk profiling. Backward linkages to customs risk management for goods clearance will also be provided, FBR said.
Technological bridges would be built across all tax databases to link taxpayers across taxes for flows of third-party information, along with findings of business analysis and risk management tools for broadening of tax base and effective audits. The consolidated tax profiles with information across all taxes will be made a part of the IRIS record for use in both broadening of tax base and meaningful auditing, it added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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