Addressing a meeting during his visit to the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) in Karachi, the FBR chairman said the government was committed to resolving tax-related issues faced by industrialists and improving the business environment.
He announced that a dedicated FBR office would be established at KATI to address tax-related complaints of industrialists operating in the Korangi Industrial Area. The FBR would also consult relevant stakeholders to resolve issues and remove bottlenecks affecting the import of raw materials.
Langrial said the scope of the FBR help desk would be expanded beyond Karachi to Sukkur to facilitate businesses and taxpayers.
He added that meetings would be held to address border trade-related difficulties faced by the leather industry. The FBR also plans to make its Track and Trace System more effective by adopting a model similar to the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) for the pharmaceutical industry.
The FBR chairman said these initiatives were aimed at improving the tax system, increasing transparency and providing greater facilitation to the business community.
He urged industrialists and traders to cooperate with the FBR in identifying individuals and businesses involved in tax evasion and helping eliminate such practices to make the taxation system more transparent and effective.
During the meeting, Langrial also listened to concerns raised by representatives of various industrial sectors and issued on-the-spot directives to resolve several issues.
KATI Calls for Faster Tax Refunds
Earlier, KATI President Sheikh Umar Rehan thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for directing the FBR chairman to visit Karachi every month to improve economic conditions and address the difficulties faced by the industrial sector.
He said that if federal ministers and cabinet members also devoted time to Karachi, similar to the FBR chairman, it could help strengthen Pakistan's economy.
Rehan said the effective implementation of the FBR's positive policies, faceless tax assessment system and digitalisation could significantly expand the tax net and increase revenue collection.
He added that these measures could also help the government achieve its Rs100 billion export target at an early stage.
The KATI president stressed the need for special measures to resolve taxation issues relating to raw materials and promote industrial and commercial activities.
He identified excessive delays in tax refunds as one of the major challenges facing industrialists, particularly exporters and regular taxpayers.
According to Rehan, billions of rupees belonging to export-oriented industries and compliant businesses remain stuck with the FBR in the form of pending refunds, depriving companies of essential working capital.
He called for strict adherence to legally prescribed refund processing timelines, an effective automated system for the payment of genuine and verified refunds, and an end to unnecessary audits and documentation requirements being used to delay legitimate claims.
The KATI president said timely refunds and business-friendly tax policies were essential for improving industrial productivity, encouraging exports and strengthening Pakistan's economic growth.