Eateries and wedding halls to face Rs.1 million over THIS violation

LAHORE:  The Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) has banned hotels, restaurants, cafes, coffee shops and wedding halls from issuing handwritten or unofficial receipts; the measure is aimed at curbing tax evasion and ensuring greater transparency in sales records.

Under the new rules, businesses covered by the directive must issue receipts through the Electronic Invoice Management System.

PRA has imposed a ban on giving customers kitchen order slips, handwritten bills, or other temporary receipts in place of official tax invoices.

Businesses that fail to issue electronic receipts could face fines ranging from Rs.400,000 to Rs.1 million.

Repeated violations may also lead to the premises being sealed for up to one month, according to the notification issued by district commissioners.

Each customer receipt must include the business’s name and address, a receipt number and a QR code specified by the PRA.

The authorities have also warned of additional legal action against businesses found altering or concealing sales records, or obstructing PRA officials during inspections.

PRA Chairman, Moazzam Iqbal Sipra, has directed the commissioners of all districts of Punjab to implement the system across the province.

District administrations have been instructed to enforce the rules without discrimination.

The authority says digitizing sales records will help improve tax collection, increase transparency and prevent tax evasion.