PAC panel discusses non-recovery of taxes

A subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee of parliament has given the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) until January 28 to recover arrears of various taxes and directed the tax collector to show 75% recovery within a period of one month.

The subcommittee which met here on Wednesday with its Convener Naveed Qamar in the chair, to review the audit objections of Revenue Division for 2016-17. The panel was also briefed by the officials about the non-recovery of tax demand liabilities by the FBR.

The meeting discussed the issue of non-deduction of withholding tax by 428 withholding agents in 17 field formations of the FBR. The subcommittee directed the FBR to make 75% recovery within 30 days and verify the recoveries by the audit authorities.

The FBR chairman informed the committee that his organisation has 6,000 to 7,000 less staff than its approved strength. “We have a small workforce. I have written to the Federal Public Service Commission for prompt recruitment. The panel gave the FBR until January 28 to recover the tax demand dues.