Karachi: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday announced that it had established a new unit at its Regional Tax Office (RTO)-III in Karachi in a bid to increase the number of taxpayers in the city to eight million, a new source reported.
Previously, the FBR had empowered its RTO-II Karachi to work towards achieving its goal of broadening the tax base (BTB). As per reports, the new powers granted by the taxation authority to its subordinating agency already led to a massive increase in return filings for the tax year (FY 2018-19).
The success of this step led the FBR to establish a BTB unit at its RTO-III Karachi this month. The officers in RTO-III are now permitted to initiate action against potential taxpayers or individuals who aren’t listed as active taxpayers but earn taxable income. These powers have been granted under the Income Tax Ordinance 2001.
After the creation of this new BTB unit, the two RTO offices will share the territorial jurisdiction in Karachi. The RTO-II has been allowed to operate in the Karachi division of Sindh; covering Saddar, Lyari, Jamshed, Kemari, Orangi towns, Liaquatabad, SITE, Baldia, Defence Housing Authority, Clifton, Manora, and Clifton cantonments.
Similarly, the RTO-III has been authorised to take action against unregistered individuals doing business within the territorial jurisdiction of Karachi division. The officers will cover Gulberg, Gadap Shah Faisal, Malir Towns, New Karachi, North Nazimabad, New Nazimabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Landhi, Bin Qasim, Faisal, and Korangi cantonments.
The FBR recently announced it had increased the number of income taxpayers to 2.5 million for the tax year 2018. During the period between July and August 9, 2019, around 300,000 returns were filed by the Karachi residents, it added.
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