Biometric verification of registered persons: LTBA urges FBR, Nadra to bring in secure mobile app

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) should jointly implement a secure mobile application for biometric verification of sales tax registered persons.

According to a letter of the Lahore Tax Bar Association (LTBA) to the FBR Chairman, the association highlighted major challenges faced by certain sales taxpayers under the current biometric verification system and proposed a digital solution aligned with FBR’s commitment to facilitation and innovation.

Presently, biometric verification for sales tax registration and annually bio metric which required in terms of SRO 350(1)/2024 is conducted exclusively through Nadra’s physical infrastructure. While this may suffice for most residents, it poses considerable challenges for the following categories of taxpayers:

(I); Individuals temporarily residing or travelling abroad.

(2); Taxpayers located in remote or underdeveloped areas.

(3); Elderly or physically challenged individuals who cannot easily access the Nadra facilities.

Due to the unavailability of a remote verification mechanism, these taxpayers are unable to complete their sales tax registration and annually biometric which required in tarns of SRO 350(1)/2024 dated 07.03.2025, despite their willingness to comply with legal requirements. This creates unnecessary delays, hampers business operations, filing of sales tax returns and discourages potential entrants into the tax system.

Key challenges included no Remote Option for Overseas Taxpayers and delays in Registration Activation and filing of sales tax returns.

He LTBA proposed the FBR should consider in coordination with Nadra, the development and deployment of a secure mobile application for biometric verification. This solution may include facial recognition or fingerprint scanning wing smartphone technology and secure integration between the FBR and the Nadra.

The expected benefits included enhanced taxpayer’s facilitation particularly for overseas Pakistanis and remote areas residents, improved compliance rate with quicker registration and fewer delays; expanded lax base and alignment with FBR’s digital transformation and automation goals.

The association is confident that this initiative would greatly enhance the accessibility, efficiency, compliance and Inclusivity of FBR’s taxpayers’ registration system and ease filing of sales tax returns and enhance the revenue collection, it added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025