FBR chairman writes to Power Division: Non-filers shouldn’t get commercial power, gas connections

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Shahbar Zaidi has sought Power Division support for not providing commercial and industrial connection of electricity and gas to those applicants who are not return filers.

The FBR is on vigorous campaign to convince non-filers to avail themselves of chance for filing income tax returns and become part of taxation system. The number of return filers have already exceeded 2 million mark till end June 2019 and efforts are underway to further expand the narrowed tax base. Shabbar Zaidi in his letter to Ministry of Power has sought its help for the implementation of Section 181AA of Income Tax Ordinance-2001 which specifically stipulates that any application for commercial or industrial connection of electricity or gas shall not be processed and such connection shall not be provided unless the person applying for electricity or gas connection is registered under the said Section which pertains to filing of income tax returns. FBR chairman has added that the FBR has extended the date of filing return of income for the year 2018 to August 2, 2019 to facilitate filing of return by all persons who are required to file the return of income but have not filed so far.

FBR chairman has requested Ministry of Power to issue instructions to Power Distribution Companies to apprise them that it is mandatory to be on ‘Active Taxpayers List (ATL)’ for every commercial and industrial electricity or gas consumer. FBR chairman appreciated the cooperation of Ministry of Power for providing the data of industrial and commercial users of electricity and hoped that Ministry of Power would also help in the implementation of Section 181AA of Income Tax Ordinance through the involvement of respective ‘distribution companies’.