325 amnesty scheme vehicles missing from audit: Senate panel informed

Senate Standing Committee on Finance has noted that some 325 vehicles, which were allowed to be regularised through a vehicles amnesty scheme in 2013, are missing from the audit of the Federal Board of Revenue. The government on March 5, 2013 notified an amnesty scheme for regularisation of smuggled vehicles in the country after payment of taxes, duty and nominal redemption fine. A total of 51,201 vehicles were regularised through the scheme while audit was conducted of 50,876.
Senator Jamaldini on a point of public importance raised the issue of missing vehicles in Senate, which was subsequently referred to the committee. Jamaldini said that FBR in the name of under-assessment of the vehicles is seeking extra amount from the owners. A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla while discussing the issue of short assessment pointed out that as per official brief provided to the committee, there are 325 vehicles missing from the audit. He added that FBR claims to have conducted audit of all the 51,201 smuggled vehicles registered under the amnesty scheme across the country. The FBR officials have been unable to give a satisfactory reply to the committee.
While briefing the committee, the member customs FBR stated that tax amnesty scheme was notified by the Revenue Division on March 5, 2001 for regularisation of smuggled vehicles from March 5, 2013 to April 6, 2013. A total 51,201 vehicles were regularised across the country under the scheme and revenue of Rs 16,192.55 million was collected on account of duty, taxes and redemption fine.
The member further stated that subsequent to media report of irregularities in the implementation of the scheme, the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) had taken notice of the issue and directed the FBR to carry out audit of the assessment of the amnesty vehicles through Directorate General of Customs Post Clearance Audit.
In compliance with the FTO orders, audit of 50,876 vehicles was carried out and it was found that of the total cleared vehicles, 2,895 vehicles were found to be short assessed involving duty/taxes to the tune of Rs 237.24 million. Subsequently, the audit observations were referred to the concerned officials and demands of recovery on amount of short assessment were issued. He said that demand of recovery of short assessment of any vehicle through demand notice was legal, however, any demand without demand notice was totally illegal and "if movers provide details to us, we will look into it."