During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance on Wednesday, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana revealed plans to enforce stringent measures against non-filers, including the potential disconnection of utilities such as electricity and gas, along with the blocking of mobile SIMs.
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In the session presided over by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, Chairman Tiwana disclosed that the FBR has acquired data on 2.5 million non-filers, including information on 1 million major non-filers. The intention is to initiate strong actions against non-compliant individuals, involving disconnection of essential services and SIM card blocking.
Chairman Tiwana emphasized that if individuals fail to file tax returns within 30 days of receiving a notice, legal measures will be pursued. The FBR has obtained comprehensive data from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and other sources, including home addresses and property investment records, to identify and notify non-filers.
The FBR chairman outlined the ambitious goal of increasing the number of tax filers to 7 million within the current fiscal year. He noted that while there are approximately 10.15 million registered taxpayers in the country, encompassing both the salaried class and business community, only 5.3 million individuals currently file tax returns.
This move underscores the government’s commitment to expanding the tax base and ensuring compliance, leveraging technology and data-driven approaches to encourage tax filing and deter non-compliance.
