Islamabad: Amjad Zubair Tiwana, Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), clarified on Saturday that immediate travel restrictions for non-filers, as proposed in the government’s budget for the next fiscal year, will only be considered after prior notification and inclusion in the Income Tax General Order.
This clarification was provided during the fifth session of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwala of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The committee focused on scrutinizing Clause 6 of the Finance Bill 2024, which aims to amend the Income Tax Ordinance 2001.
The proposed measures, including potential restrictions on international travel for non-filers, were highlighted by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in his address to the National Assembly. The government aims to expand the tax base and improve the tax-to-GDP ratio through these amendments.
The committee also discussed introducing a new category of “late filers” under the Income Tax Ordinance, with proposals for stricter penalties and adjustments to existing concessions. They addressed concerns over advertising expenses related to brand royalties and deferred decisions on sales tax amendments and property tax extensions for ex-Fata and ex-Pata regions.
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman advocated for fair tax distribution among corporations and expressed reservations about consumer burdens from proposed GST rates on packaging items and locally processed milk products.
The session was attended by senators including Sherry Rehman, Mohsin Aziz, Anusha Rahman, Ahmad Khan, Shahzab Durrani, Farooq Naek, Shibli Faraz, and Munzoor Ahmed Kakar.