By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has completed preparations for action against tax evaders.
According to FBR sources, within a few days, final notices will be issued to tax evaders, traders, and industrialists, who will also be sent notices. Their assets, and extravagant expenditures, do not match their tax data; some traders’ tax is only a few thousand while their annual income runs into billions.
Sources say that many have purchased multiple plots and are also running businesses outside, sometimes allowed to pay their taxes, they turn their black money white.
Lists of most traders and industrialists have been made, including Akbari, Shah Alam Market, Azam Cloth Market, Anarkali, Liberty Market Road, and Gulberg. Ferozepur Road, Model Town, and all other plazas are included.
FBR sources say that ten years’ data of traders has been collected, which will be presented, in the next phase, markets across Punjab are included, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Multan, Sahiwal, and all major cities.
FBR officials said they will neither tolerate any excesses nor will they collect extra taxes, legal demands have been met, the government is serious, and they have also approached the courts; the states will be ousted without hesitation.
Earlier, The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has barred its all officers and officials from interacting with members of the media (print or electronic).
According to the FBR’s instructions issued to FBR Members and Director Generals, it has been observed that officers have developed a tendency to interact with media persons (print/electronic) without permission from the Competent Authority.
“This practice is a violation of the conduct rules. It is, therefore, directed that henceforth, no officer/official except the spokesperson FBR, is allowed to interact with media persons on any issue,” stated the notification.
The FBR’s notification revealed that the ban has been imposed with immediate effect.
Furthermore, no officers/officials are allowed to use social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), at a personal level regarding performance and policy decisions of FBR, except for the official spokesperson.
Earlier, Implementing the orders of International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to block the SIM cards of nearly 2 million individuals involved in tax evasion.
FBR chairman has greenlighted the blocking of SIM cards of tax evaders dispatched instructions to relevant officials.
The FBR has identified 1.8 million tax evaders. Sources claimed that the FBR also has the authority to disconnect electricity connections, besides blocking SIM cards of non-filers.
Meanwhile, special powers have been given to 145 district tax officers across the country in this regard. Action will be taken under Section 114-B against non-filers and tax evaders.
