Taxpayers filing nil returns with zero payment: FBR hasn’t fully utilised data on Malomaat Portal of IRIS: AGP

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has not fully utilise the data available on Malomaat Portal of IRIS, as many high-net worth individuals are filing nil returns with zero payment of actual tax liability, according to the report of the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) on Inland Revenue and Customs (2024-25).

The FBR has all kind of source data appearing on Malomaat Portal of IRIS which contains information about potential taxpayers who got industrial electricity connections, have history of foreign travelling, possess vehicles of more than 1500 cc etc. but the real potential of tax revenue from these taxpayers is not being realized as these taxpayers are filing nil returns with zero payment of actual tax liability.

KTBA urges FBR to resolve systemic issues of IRIS

The FBR and its field formations should compulsorily register the potential taxpayers by using data of industrial electricity/gas consumers, registration of vehicles and obtaining history of foreign travellers available on Malomaat Portal besides provision of access to auditors to relevant data portals under mutually agreed data sharing protocols.

The FBR should improve internal control environment to enrol new taxpayers in coordination with other institutions i.e. NADRA, motor registration authorities, property registration authorities and other withholding agents and enforce legal proceedings to enhance revenue from potential taxpayers.

The FBR established Broadening of Tax Base wing (BTB) in 2013 to bring new taxpayers on the tax roll and to ensure the filing of returns by them. This wing is also responsible to coordinate and create a link or liaison with the organisations holding data of sizeable financial transactions, obtaining such datasets and utilizing the same to broaden the tax base.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025