ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: The government and leaders of traders’ organisations have agreed that Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officers and trader representatives will jointly visit markets in all four provinces to register shopkeepers under the Asaan Tax Scheme.
The decision was taken at a review meeting on the Asaan Tax Scheme chaired by Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani.
The meeting was attended by trader leaders Ajmal Baloch and Kashif Chaudhry, Member Inland Revenue Operations Zubair Bilal, senior FBR officials, chief commissioners, and officials of the Regional Tax Offices (RTOs) of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. RTOs and Corporate Tax Offices (CTOs) from across the country joined the meeting through video link.
The meeting reviewed the performance of RTOs and CTOs so far and the progress made in implementing the scheme.
It was decided that trader representatives and FBR officers would prepare a strategy to facilitate registration in markets falling within their respective areas. Officers of FBR regional tax and corporate tax offices will, in the coming days, visit markets across the country at already fixed times along with representatives of traders.
The meeting also reviewed feedback received from traders on the Asaan Tax Scheme so far.
Another meeting on the scheme will be held next week under the chairmanship of Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani to review progress.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Kayani said the government, under the patronage of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, had introduced the Asaan Tax Scheme on the demand of traders and had started its effective implementation in line with its commitment.
He said the first plate under the Asaan Tax Scheme was installed in Islamabad today, showing that the government had fulfilled its promise. He added that plates would be installed tomorrow on shops of those shopkeepers across the country who become part of the scheme.
The minister said the scheme would help broaden the tax net and bring ease to the lives of traders. He said progress on the Asaan Tax Scheme would be reviewed continuously and every effort would be made to make the historic scheme successful.
