KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will work closely with the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) and other business bodies to identify and register tax non-filers, Chief Commissioner Inland Revenue Service (IRS) Ahmed Kamal announced during a visit to KATI’s office.
Speaking to industrialists, Kamal confirmed the appointment of Ahmed Mukhtar Shahani as KATI’s focal person to ensure prompt resolution of taxation and administrative issues faced by businesses in the Korangi Industrial Zone.
Reiterating that the FBR’s priority is to facilitate compliant taxpayers rather than harass them, he assured strict action against any tax officials accused of corruption or misconduct. He stressed that collaboration with trade associations is essential to expanding the tax net, and said joint awareness seminars with KATI will be held to guide small manufacturers and traders on compliance, documentation, and filing procedures.
Kamal also asked KATI to propose a suitable time period for the extension being sought by its members.
On audits, he clarified that the FBR is not initiating any new audit campaigns and is instead focused on completing long-pending cases. He added that a new mechanism for appointing additional auditors will help address past capacity issues and speed up case disposal.
KATI President Muhammad Ikram Rajput highlighted growing challenges related to digital invoicing, pointing out that many businesses have yet to complete required submissions. He urged the FBR to grant an additional extension and also called for reviewing tax rates to match regional competitors and accelerating the digitalization of Customs and Sales Tax systems.
Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya expressed concern that compliant taxpayers are being subjected to increased pressure while a vast number of non-filers remain unchecked. He warned that many industrialists are now considering non-resident status by spending 184 days abroad, and urged the government to abolish the non-filer category altogether and instead expand the tax base.
Tariq Malik, Chairman of the Standing Committee, echoed these concerns, stating that revenue targets cannot be met by repeatedly burdening existing taxpayers. He stressed that the FBR must direct its efforts toward non-filers and zero-filers to achieve meaningful results. KATI Senior Vice President Zahid Hameed, Vice President Muhammad Talha and other members also shared their proposals with the visiting FBR team.
