MULTAN, Pakistan: Director General Intelligence and Investigations (I&I) Sales Tax and Income Tax, Haroon Khalid said the government had started tightening noose around tax evaders and over Rs 57 billion tax theft/evasion was detected by his department during last one year.
Talking to media, Haroon said that payment of tax was a national obligation and government has started legal proceedings against those who evade it. He added that offices of their department operate in seven cities including Peshawar, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Lahore, Multan, Hyderabad and Karachi and only 22 officers deputed at these stations detected the tax evasion cases in a year.
He said the government had started getting FIRs registered against the tax thieves.
Haroon Khalid said the government was also taking action against tax officials who were found to be involved in extending undue favours to tax thieves for financial gains.
The DG I&I said that his department was proceeding against the tax evaders and thieves without tolerating any pressure. He said the department also detected a Rs 270 million tax fraud by a Karachi-based cement factory that was involved in selling cement worth Rs 4-6 million daily through accounts of their employees.
Citing another example, he said that an air conditioners assembling company had formed a dummy company and sold their ACs at extremely low price and paid less tax to government.
He said that a cigarette packet’s cost was minimum Rs 32 and those selling cigarette packets below this price must have evaded taxes.
He said the department has also started pursuing businesses like fashion design, doctors charging higher consultancy fee to increase tax revenue.
He said that a company which used to evade taxes on import of laptop computers has promised to pay taxes.
Director I&I Aqeel Ahmad Siddiqui and deputy director headquarters Akram Khan said that they would continue to unearth tax frauds pleading that they serve the country and would respect every one who pay taxes. They said that life style of the people clearly indicate which income group they belong to and those who can afford luxurious life style should also pay taxes.
Source: APP
