Tax practitioners have predicted a drop in the filing of income tax returns next year, describing a hostile attitude of field staff and an unfriendly approach of authorities as a prime cause. Sources said the members of Lahore Tax Bar Association (LTBA) extended this alarming feedback to Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Dr Muhammad Irshad during a recent interaction.

They said the field inspectors and tax auditors were calling the shot in settlement of disputes relating to suspension of business and blacklisting of a taxpayer. The tax inspectors and auditors were driving the campaign on behalf of the regional high-ups, they added.

They said this situation was leading to massive corruption on the one hand, but on the other hand discouragement of taxpayers in filing returns. They have further pointed out to the Chairman FBR that no one from among the tax authorities was ready to listen to the complaints of taxpayers against the field inspectors and auditors. Instead, they added, high-ups of tax machinery were suggesting the taxpayers to contact the field inspectors and auditors for resolution of their disputes. They said an unfriendly and non-co-operative attitude of tax authorities was seeding disappointment among taxpayers. They said the field inspectors and auditors were unwilling to resolve disputes in order to meet irrational revenue targets.

Chairman FBR expressed his wonders over the situation, saying that how a field inspector or an auditor can extend hearing to a taxpayer. He said he would take action against any such inspector and auditor in case someone brought a case of this nature into his notice in future.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017