Islamabad: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced amendments to the Income Tax Rules, 2002, to improve the efficiency and responsiveness of the Active Taxpayer’s List (ATL) system, a key component of Pakistan’s tax operations. The news was reported by a source on October 25.
As detailed, these updates, announced through S.R.O. 1638(I)/2024 on October 18, 2024, promise more streamlined tax operations and greater compliance by increasing the frequency of ATL updates. Under these amendments, the ATL will now be updated daily, replacing the previous weekly schedule. This change ensures that compliant taxpayers are promptly listed as active, improving real-time accuracy and allowing taxpayers to benefit from a more responsive tax compliance process.
In practical terms, taxpayers who submit their Income Tax Returns (ITR) for the 2024 tax year by the specified deadline, or within any granted extension, will be immediately reflected in the ATL. Taxpayers filing after the deadline may still be included upon payment of a surcharge specified under section 182A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.
This is a shift from the previous annual system, where the ATL was updated only in March, which often led to delays in recognising taxpayer compliance. Now, compliant taxpayers will be included in the ATL immediately upon filing their ITR, supporting faster acknowledgment of compliance.
These amendments mark a significant step toward enhancing operational transparency and efficiency. With daily updates, FBR is committed to supporting taxpayers by fostering a more dynamic and responsive ATL process. This approach benefits all stakeholders, simplifying tax procedures and ensuring that compliant taxpayers experience smoother and more predictable processing.
