Over 3,600 non filers' SIMs blocked: FBR

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday blocked over 3,600 SIMs of non-filers across Pakistan so far, ARY News reported citing sources.

According to sources, FBR is providing data of 50,000 non-filers to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) daily, sources added.

Sources said that the bureau has planned to block SIMs of non-filers gradually as telecom companies have been shared lists of non-filers, and PTA has also received a list of 566,671 individuals.

Non-filers’ SIMs will be blocked in small groups, and the blocking is being done under Income Tax General Rules 114B, sources said.

Moreover, the joint working group has expressed concern over the blocking of mobile SIMs of non-filers, sources revealed.

READ: SIMS of over 500,000 non-filers to be blocked

The development comes a day after the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and telecom operators had agreed to block the mobile SIM cards of non-filers, with 5,000 SIMs to be blocked daily.

Earlier, the Cellular Mobile Companies had refused to block the SIM cards of 506,000 identified non-compliant taxpayers due to technical and operational obstacles.

“In a statement, Telecom companies stated that there are legal complexities in implementing FBR’s directives,” Sources claimed.

It is pertinent to mention here that Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued an income tax general order on April 30, calling the authorities to block the SIM cards of more than 506,000 identified non-compliant taxpayers across the nation