KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Shabbar Zaidi on Wednesday said they were working to make the tax-collecting body faceless, making lesser contact between the tax officers and masses, ARY NEWS reported.
“The only way forward is to adopt automation and use of technology in collecting taxes,” he said while addressing an event at Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP).
Zaidi admitted that lack of confidence between the masses and the tax authority is a main hurdle in improving tax filers countrywide. “There is need to improve a perception of FBR,” he said.
He said that the online systems will reduce harassment from the FBR officials and improve trust level on the revenue authority.
“We will be launching faceless e-audit system next year,” he announced. “Currently we are in process to simplify tax systems with the support of the World Bank,” he said while admitting the current processes are complex.
The FBR chairman said they were working to establish a data bank in the tax authority aimed at collecting all information on tax filers, which are not revealed in their income tax returns.
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This data bank will force people to reveal their complete information in the tax returns, the tax-collection authority chief said adding that even in United States (US) people are afraid to conceal their assets citing government action.
Detailing the FBR achievements, he said that e-sahulat and asset inquiry portals, and online sales tax registration process are currently facilitating masses.
He further called for strict action against misuse of Afghan transit trade and said that it has caused huge losses in revenue for the country.
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