PAC panel directs FBR to extend tax returns date

Asks FPSC to fill revenue boards 750 vacant posts at the earliest

ISLAMABAD:

A sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to extend the date for the filing of tax returns in view of the Covid-19 spread.

The panel also asked the revenue board to expedite the process for the recovery of dues and the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) to fill the FBR’s 750 vacant posts at the earliest.

A sub-committee of the Parliament’s PAC met under the chairmanship of convener Noor Alam Khan, which reviewed the audit objections of the Revenue Division (FBR) for 2017-18.

The audit officials briefed the panel about the non-recovery of dues by the FBR saying a few cases were being heard by the courts while eight were in the appellate tribunals.

They said the backlog was created as some of the tribunals were not active and cited the vacant seats of the FBR as reason for delay in the recovery of dues.

The body directed the FPSC to speed up the process for hiring on the 750 vacant posts of the FBR and deliberated on the issue of budget for the FBR to fight the cases.

Committee member Khawaja Asif pointed out that the revenue board was given only Rs60 million per annum while the lawyer on the other side received fee in millions.

The FBR officials informed the committee that the highest number of cases were in the appellate tribunals regarding the recovery of dues.

They cited appellate tribunals as the biggest issue and maintained that these were constituted by the law ministry.

The panel expressed displeasure over the absence of law ministry officials and summoned them in the next meeting. The committee also disposed of different audit objections.

The committee convener inquired from the FBR officials whether they had extended the date for the filing of tax returns in view of the coronavirus situation.

The revenue board replied that they had received 350,000 applications and had given time to them.

The committee chairman directed the FBR to extend the date until January 31 for those who had still not applied and filed their tax returns.