Exporters receive Rs6.89bn pending tax refunds

FTO dispose of complaints in 43 days timeline which was previously 60 days

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Exporters have received Rs6.89 billion tax refunds pending with tax authorities as result of cognisance and orders passed by Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) in 2018, Advisor to FTO on customs and sales tax, Shahid Ahmad said on Thursday during his visit to PHMA house.

He said the FTO secretariat received around 2400 complaints whereby 25 percent complaints were resolved at the initial stage. As many as 72 percent decisions of complaints were arrived in the favour of taxpayers.

The FBR has not filed any representative in 93 percent complaint cases being disposed of by FTO. “As result of cognisance and orders passed by FTO the taxpayers have received refunds worth 6.89 billion rupees.”

Currently FTO dispose of complaints in 43 days timeline which was previously 60 days and efforts are underway to further reduce this timeline. The ratio of complaints being filed with FTO related to income tax is 54%, Sales Tax is 26% and Customs is 12%. Presently, the focus of FTO Secretariat is one the implementation of the orders in the interest of justice for the taxpayers.

Exchanging views, he articulated the taxpayers in their own interest should report to FTO the maladministration by FBR Officials. He recalled that on the request of Pakistan Apparel Forum, FTO took cognizance of the grievances being faced by exporters regarding pending sales tax refunds, attachment of bank accounts, blacklisting and other taxation matters and had given orders to redress the grievances with compliance thereof to all concerned.

Responding to the issues highlighted by Jawed Bilwani, Chairman, Pakistan Apparel Forum, he urged the exporters to file their complaints in their respect to their old refund cases and all other FBR related matters. He assured that FTO Secretariat shall consider to take motion against the procedural lacking, delay tactics, harassment and maladministration of FBR Officials against taxpayers, as apprised by Pakistan Apparel Forum.

Earlier Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, Chairman, Pakistan Apparel Forum welcomed Shahid Ahmed, Advisor (Custom / Sales Tax), FTO and appreciated that FTO was providing speedy justice to the exporters in respect to their grievances in the hand of FBR regarding long pending refunds of sales tax, custom rebate, income tax.