Punjab Revenue Authority to establish stakeholders' body
It will take policy decisions after consultation with businessmen
PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
The Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) wants to form a committee having representatives from the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and other sectors to bridge the community gap, said PRA Chairman Zainul Abideen.
During a meeting between PRA and LCCI officials, Abideen said the proposed committee would hold regular meetings so that policy decisions could be made after due consultation with the stakeholders.
An application has already been launched to have direct liaison with the taxpayers.
He pointed out that there were a lot of developments for tax harmonisation between provinces, adding monthly meetings were being held among representatives of the provinces and they had agreed on some matters.
"A system is being designed under which a taxpayer will file a single return whether he is working in one or more provinces. An automatic system will decide tax segregation," he said.
However, the PRA chairman added that the provinces were apprehensive that the system may affect ease of doing business reforms in the country, therefore, the system would be implemented sector-wise.
The telecom sector had been chosen for the first phase and the system was expected to start working in the current calendar year, he said.
Responding to a question, the PRA chairman said provincial tax was already being collected through online banking channels while credit and debit cards would also be available soon.
Abideen, however, was of the view that uniformity in sales tax in all provinces was difficult.
He insisted that the Punjab Infrastructure Development Cess could not be abolished but a middle ground could be reached after consultation with the stakeholders.
"Despite the economic slowdown, the PRA has performed well and has achieved 23% revenue growth in first six months of the ongoing fiscal year," he said.
The Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) wants to form a committee having representatives from the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and other sectors to bridge the community gap, said PRA Chairman Zainul Abideen.
During a meeting between PRA and LCCI officials, Abideen said the proposed committee would hold regular meetings so that policy decisions could be made after due consultation with the stakeholders.
An application has already been launched to have direct liaison with the taxpayers.
He pointed out that there were a lot of developments for tax harmonisation between provinces, adding monthly meetings were being held among representatives of the provinces and they had agreed on some matters.
"A system is being designed under which a taxpayer will file a single return whether he is working in one or more provinces. An automatic system will decide tax segregation," he said.
However, the PRA chairman added that the provinces were apprehensive that the system may affect ease of doing business reforms in the country, therefore, the system would be implemented sector-wise.
The telecom sector had been chosen for the first phase and the system was expected to start working in the current calendar year, he said.
Responding to a question, the PRA chairman said provincial tax was already being collected through online banking channels while credit and debit cards would also be available soon.
Abideen, however, was of the view that uniformity in sales tax in all provinces was difficult.
He insisted that the Punjab Infrastructure Development Cess could not be abolished but a middle ground could be reached after consultation with the stakeholders.
"Despite the economic slowdown, the PRA has performed well and has achieved 23% revenue growth in first six months of the ongoing fiscal year," he said.