ISLAMABAD: The government has decided in principle to allow the names of taxpayers in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to appear on the Active Taxpayers List (ATL) to avail themselves of lower withholding tax rates.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued SRO1448 of 2024 proposing amendments to the Income Tax Rules, allowing a taxpayer who has submitted a return to either the Gilgit-Baltistan Council Board of Revenue or the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Central Board of Revenue to appear on the ATL list.

Persons who filed returns with the AJK and GB appropriate tax authorities will show on ATL, regardless of whether their temporary or permanent addresses are in the jurisdiction of the filing.

The FBR will also enter the names of people on ATL who submit their retu­rns for the most recent tax year by the due date or an ext­ended due date set by the commissioner or the FBR.

The name of a company or an association of persons whose return is not due to be filed because of incorporation or formation of such company or association of persons after June 30, relevant to the latest tax year, shall be included in the active taxpayers’ list, the FBR added.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2024