Technical glitches prevent FBR from launching single portal for filing GST returns

ISLAMABAD: Owing to persistent technical hitches, the FBR has so far failed to launch a portal for filing General Sales Tax (GST) returns on goods and services because the annexure could not be fully made compatible among the Center and provinces.

“Although efforts are underway to remove this technical glitch it seems that it will take a few weeks for resolving this issue,” top official sources said while talking to The News here on Thursday.

According to the official announcement of the FBR Najy Benhassine, Country Director, World Bank, and Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue Asim Ahmad held a meeting on Thursday at FBR Headquarters to review the progress of Pakistan Raises Revenue Programme during the last financial year. The World Bank team included Gailius Draugelis, Operations Manager, Tobias Haque, Lead Country Economist, Lucy Pan, Senior Economist, Irum Touqeer, Public Sector Specialist and Shabih Ali Mohib, Manager. Member Reforms, FBR, Ardesher Tariq, and members of the project team were also present in the meeting.

The WB-FBR meeting decided to continue efforts to launch the Single Portal to facilitate Sales Tax Return filing. They also agreed to carry on with the upgradation of IT infrastructure, automation of FBR and the timely completion of project targets.

In the last four years, significant achievements have been made for sustainable revenue mobilization, taxpayer facilitation, and reducing the cost of doing business under the Pakistan Raises Revenue Programme. In particular, the harmonization of Sales Tax laws and procedures among provinces and the federal government was a landmark achievement with benefits for taxpayers and all revenue authorities. Other key achievements included reducing the cost of doing business by a reduction in withholding lines from 58 to 33, an increase in the imports and exports through the green channel from 35 percent to 66 percent and a broadening of the tax base. The FBR has been publishing detailed tax expenditure reports to improve transparency.

Chairman FBR Asim Ahmad highly appreciated the contributions and efforts put in by the teams on both sides. The Country Director Najy Benhassine, also appreciated the progress and termed the GST harmonization as the flagship achievement of FBR. Both organisations decided to continue cooperation in pursuing the reform agenda.