Govt working to simplify procedure for tax filers: minister

ISLAMABAD: State Minister of Revenue Hamad Azhar has said the government is taking measures to simplify the procedure for tax filers to achieve the target set for speedy progress in the country.

The urdu version page would be introduced to ensure easiness for every citizen wish to come into the tax net.

Talking to a private news channel, he said that taxes would be imposed on those receiving high salaries or income, while the poor persons would enjoy exemption from tax.

He was of the view that if the heavy income receivers would avoid paying taxes then our next generation would suffer. Hamad Azhar said that the government had presented the supplementary budget in the parliament and upward trend was witnessed in the stock exchange of the country after passage of the mini budget.

He claimed that in the budget, not a single tax has been imposed on the poor.

The minister said Pakistan was passing through economic challenges, adding that the government would make the structural reforms to attain economic stability across the country.

Expressing concerns over the weak progress in agriculture sector, he said that Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh have had better yields, while soil and environment of Pakistan was not giving the due results.

The State minister said that previous governments lacked interest in bringing reforms in FBR due to which tax collection was not encouraging.

He asserted that present government had not imposed taxes on various food items, local industries and farmers across the country.

On Sep 18, Finance Minister Asad Umar presented government’s amendments –or call it mini budget – to federal budget 2018-19 in National Assembly session.

While announcing the supplementary budget, the minister said the previous government announced income tax relief for people belonging to all social strata but “we have decided to tax the upper class but the lower income groups will still be relieved of the tax as there is no taxation until you earn more than Rs 12,00,000 per annum,” said Umar.

Asad Umar said that the government is removing the petroleum levy imposed by the previous government while increasing the duty on expensive smartphones and luxury cars.

The finance minister announced ending the tax rebate for ministers including the prime minister and governors of all four provinces.