KARACHI, Sept 14: An elaborated arrangement has been made by the local tax authorities for receiving returns for the tax year 2004, setting up tax facilitation and collection counters for each of the five tax zones of Karachi.
The Southern Region of Income Tax has started collecting returns since early this month as the Central Board of Revenue (CBR), perhaps for the first time in its history, has issued return forms much ahead of last filing date of September 30, 2004.
The private dealers have been assigned to sell these forms for not more than Rs2. The forms are also available at the main entrance of the Income Tax Building, Atta-Turk Road.
Furthermore, tax facilitation centres in each zone has also opened separate counters to collect tax returns since first of this month. Additional Commissioner Southern Region Syed Ayaz Mahmood told Dawn that extensive and elaborated arrangements have been made to collect tax returns at each zone of the region. He further said that there were five tax zones in Karachi, while one each at Sukkur and Hyderabad.
Each zone is headed by an officer and staff to facilitate taxpayers in filing their tax returns. A taxpayer could also take the guidance for the interpretation of the law. However, the most interesting feature is that all sort of assistance could also be collected on telephone as each zone has its own telephone number and computer.
Besides, the most fascinating development is that the CBR has also developed a software, "Income Tax Assistant" for the year 2004. It fully guides a taxpayer in completing his tax return.
The software is so compact that it guides from computation of income and tax up to completing a tax return form. The CBR has also issued a brochure with some humorous sketches explaining different situations and facilities for correct use of the software. It also gives its scope and limitations when used.
The software computes and determines the income chargeable to tax and the tax payable thereon for the tax year 2004 in accordance with the provisions of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. It can be used for multiple taxpayers and it will maintain record of each taxpayer separately.
Furthermore, the CBR has also compiled and published taxpayers' facilitation guides for different category of taxpayers. These booklets include a guide on "How to Fill-in Income Tax Forms"; "Taxation of Income from Property" and "Taxation of Income from Salary." In short it could be said that for the first time the CBR has adopted a different approach for developing a close liaison with taxpayers.
Above all the information with regard to tax and return forms could be collected from the CBR's website: helpline@cbr.gov.pk. But yet another important thing which has to be witnessed is the mind-set of the officials and staff of CBR and its departments collecting revenue in different parts of the country.
Syed Ayaz Mahmood further said that for the first time the Southern Region as well as other regions held corner meetings for the introduction of return forms. In the Southern Region around 30 to 40 meetings were held by each zone with trade bodies, chambers and Bazaar Committees.
