Tax evaders: Information must be shared with all chambers, says KCCI

Despite identifying 700,000 cases, FBR fails to bring evaders into the tax net.

KARACHI: Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra, while commenting on the notices issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to 240,000 tax evaders, has urged the FBR to ensure strict follow-up of these notices as the tax dodgers are responsible for causing severe losses to the national exchequer.

He demanded that the information about the tax evaders is publicised or at least shared with leading chambers including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Rawalpindi chambers, so that progress of cases could be impartially monitored.

“Though the FBR had identified more than 700,000 tax evaders five years ago and assured to bring them into the tax net, no action was actually taken. They continue to live a luxurious life and do not contribute a single rupee to the national exchequer,” commented the KCCI president. “These tax evaders do not even have NTN numbers.”

Commenting on the recovery measures taken against chronic defaulters, he said despite the FBR’s claims of issuing notices to 240,000 tax dodgers, it has shared details of only 513 cases.

Out of these, warrants have been issued only to 40 people. Bank accounts of 278 cases have been blocked, vehicles in 117 cases have been seized and properties have been attached for auction or sale in 78 cases.

“Keeping in view these minute figures revealed by the FBR, I can say that the FBR was very quick in identifying and sending notices to the tax evaders but was too slow in taking action against them,” he said.

“In such circumstances, the loyal taxpayers are constantly harassed and have to suffer badly due to complex tax procedures whereas the tax evaders, who are probably highly influential, continue to enjoy the benefits of staying outside the tax net.”

“What refrains the FBR from acting against such wealthy tax evaders, remains an unanswered question,” he said while appealing to the government to publish names and photographs of the tax dodgers in the press.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2015.

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