KARACHI, Sept 28: The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has relaxed the condition of submitting photocopies of CNIC (Computerised National Identity Cards) along with tax returns. The last date for filing of tax returns is September 30.

The CBR laid down the condition earlier under which all taxpayers were asked to submit copies of their CNIC along with their returns for tax year 2006. The representative bodies of tax consultants took up the matter with the Member Tax Facilitation and Reforms, CBR, but their plea was rejected.

Under those terms only a provisional receipt would be issued to the taxpayers who file their tax returns without a photocopy of CNIC. They were given three days time to submit CNIC to get a final receipt.

However, on Thursday local tax offices refused to receive tax returns without photocopies of CNIC. This created uproar in the southern and corporate tax regions offices located at Hashoo Centre, Saddar, where taxpayers got agitated for being harassed in the month of Ramazan. President of Income Tax Bar Association, Karachi, (ITBAK) Ali Rahim took up the matter up with Regional Commissioner of Income Tax, Southern Region Abrar Ahmed and Commissioner Corporate Region Mukhtar Gondal.

After a long discussion between the two sides it was finally decided that as per law 15 days time will be given to the return filers for furnishing the copies of CNIC. However, it was also decided that the tax offices will issue proper notices as per law for asking documents short in the returns.

Meanwhile, All Pakistan Tax Bar Association (APTBA) President Younus Rizwani Sheikh told Dawn that similar problems were being confronted throughout the country and the taxpayers were approaching the bar from Multan, Faisalabad, Lahore, and Hyderabad asking for the removal of CNIC condition.

However, he said after the relaxation of the condition the taxpayers would now easily file their returns.

Mr Rizwani has urged the CBR chairman to extend the last date for filing of tax returns from September 30, for one month. This will facilitate the taxpayers to meet their tax obligations easily, he added.