FBR announces measures to streamline e-filing of tax returns.

ISLAMABAD, August 10, 2009 (Frontier Star): Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Mr. Sohail Ahmad has ordered several measures to streamline electronic filing of income tax returns and withholding tax statements by the taxpayers. The measures being taken to promote voluntary compliance as well as to facilitate associations of persons (AOPs) include setting up of work stations at offices of Large Taxpayers Units (LTUs), regional Tax Offices (RTOs) Tax Facilitation Centres (TFCs) as well as organisation of workshops on e-filing processes and extension in duration of helpline hours. The chairman has hoped the measures being taken as part of a larger facilitation programme will help the AOPs overcome difficulties faced in e-filing of income tax returns and withholding tax statements and to serve as an important initiative for promoting voluntary compliance by taxpayers. Under the programme, work stations (kiosks) will be established at each LTU/RTO along with provision of two sets of computers with internet connectivity. The stations would be manned by professional and technical staff to extend help to AOPs in e-filing. The computers would also be available for self service for the AOPs. Similar work stations have also been planned at all FBR TFCs to serve the AOPs seeking to e-file returns at remote and smaller towns. Besides, FBR will also organise workshops at all LTUs/RTOs to explain e-filing procedures to the AOPs. Workshops for explaining procedures involving e-filing of withholding tax statements will be held between August 10-20 while those for explaining procedures for e-filing of income tax returns for the tax year 2009 will be held during August 15-17, 2009. As another facilitation measure, the timings of FBR helpline dealing with tax-related queries have also been extended from the existing 9:00am-4:00pm to 9:00am-9:00pm from August 10, 2009.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)