KARACHI: The Site Association of Industry (SAI) has urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to treat its members fairly, maintaining a difference between a filer and a non-filer of tax.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the association said its members have been harassed by FBR’s ongoing drive of sending audit notices to taxpayers.

SAI President Asad Nisar Barkhurdaria said that auditing filers would not serve the purpose and could deter non-filers from getting documented.

One reason behind this heavy-handedness appeared to be the pressure on regional tax offices to meet the revenue collection targets, he said.

He said the industry was already under pressure from high cost of doing business.

Instead of “undue” focus on filers to expand the tax base, the FBR should target those thousands of non-filers it has claimed to have identified.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2017

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.