The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has refused to answer specific tax-related questions about its instructions to attach the bank accounts of organizations like DISCOs, NTDC, and CPPA in an effort to recover funds. Because of this, the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has ordered an investigation against FBR officials.
Many FBR field units are ignoring and disobeying the conditions of the directive carrying C.No. 6(21)S(IR-Operations)/2017/35481-R issued 20.03.2017, that orders FBR to join the bank accounts of DISCOs, NTDC, and CPPA in steps to recover them.
According to its information, ProPakistani has been informed about a particular complaint has been submitted to FTO concerning Respondents/FBR’s quiet around May 5, 2023, and September 1, 2023, for neglecting to take up an easy problem regarding the prevention of needless action in courts that results in the use of the taxpayers.
These field units have ignored particular instructions provided by FBR to all field forces by communication carrying C.No. 6(21) S(IR-Operations)/2017/35481-R dated March 20, 2017.It was previously decided at a high-level meeting held by the FBR and Ministry of Water & Power that retrieving money from consumers could be handled peacefully by means of discussion.
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As an outcome, the choice was finally codified in a circular with the C.No. 35481-R suffix and directions were sent to the large taxpayer workplaces in Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi preventing them from doing so taking measures to recover funds or supplying financial accounts lacking getting prior authorization to Member IR (Operations).
In response to the complaint, the FBR was informed through an email on May 5, 2023, followed by two written alerts on August 9, 2023, and August 28, 2023. However, these efforts were in vain as no one at FBR seemed willing to fulfill their responsibilities in accordance with Section 206 of the Income Tax Ordinance (ITO) 2001, the FBR Act 2007, and Sections 4 and 5 of the Constitution. The complaint seeks clarification on whether the instructions and orders provided by the FBR have legal authority over the Large Taxpayer Office (LTO) in Islamabad and its employees, as well as why LTO Islamabad operatives are prevented from following the directions provided by the parent agency FBR.
The FTO will look into allegations of inadequate management to figure out whether the FBR has failed to clarify the essential question of recovering funds including the attachment of the financial accounts of DISCOs, NTDC, and CPPA. Due to the FBR Act of 2007 combined by article 206 of the Revenue Tax Ordinance of 2001, the complaining party made a reference to the responsibilities and functions of FBR officers as well.