ISLAMABAD – The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), here on Monday, launched a countrywide drive against tax evaders and non-filers, sending out notices to at least 1,500 individuals. The FBR has instructed acquirement of national taxpayer numbers (NTNs) and a start to tax payment, a senior official of the FBR said.
“Yes, we have launched a drive from March 21 (Monday) against tax evaders and those individuals who were not registered with tax authorities and evading taxes”, Inland Revenue Services (IRS) Member Khawar Khaushid Butt told APP.
He, however, said that all the filed formations and tax payers units have been directed to issue notices to individuals regarding acquirement of their NTN and registration with FBR for their tax payments.
“I have no exact number of issuing notices to such persons as a large number of persons who were tax evaders and were not holding the NTN have been served notices across the country”, he remarked.
It may be mentioned here that FBR Chairman Salman Siddique at a seminar in Karachi on March 20 said that the FBR, in collaboration with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), had identified 2.3 million individuals who were not registered with tax authorities and were evading taxes. The FBR has obtained key information about tax dodgers including their addresses and photographs.
The FBR will give a month to these individuals to obtain their NTNs, following which, if they have failed to begin paying taxes, further action against them will be taken.
“Initially we will adopt a facilitative attitude so that people are encouraged to come clean but after this term expires, the FBR will prosecute these people under the relevant laws,” warned the FBR chairman.
