FBR clears air about filers and non-filers

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Tuesday cleared the air about filers and non-filers, the hottest topic, especially after the presentation of budget 2024-25.

Exclusively talking to ARY News, FBR Spokesperson Bakhtiar Ahmed said among the population of 250mln, there are only 2.5mln non-filers.

He said household women should not worry as they are not non-filers nor CNIC holder students. FBR spokesperson said, non-filers are those who are not filing their tax returns despite taxable income.

Bakhtiar said FBR will forward a list to the FIA to stop non-filers from flying abroad.

The federal government has proposed heavy taxes and other steps in the budget 2024-25 for non-filers.

The non-filers will have to pay 75 percent tax on mobile phone calls as proposed in the budget. The sources said that that there is also a proposal to end the tax exemption on electric vehicles worth more than USD 50,000.

To get non-filers into the tax net, the federal government has also suggested levying additional tax on non-filers in order to bring them in the tax net. The FBR is aiming to crease tax revenue through the enforcement

It is pertinent to mention here that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has blocked SIM cards of the non-filers in the first phase and their electricity and gas connections might also be disconnected in the second phase.