KARACHI, Feb 21: The random balloting under self-assessment scheme (SAS) 2001-2002 took place on Thursday, and 11,776 cases or 17.5 per cent of 67,123 cases qualifying under SAS were selected for detailed scrutiny and total audit.

The president, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), A Q Khalil pressed the computer button for balloting at Data Processing Centre, 9th floor main Income Tax Building, Karachi.

Besides the regional commissioners of corporate and southern regions Shahid Jamal and Akhtar Jamil, several other high officials and tax commissioners as well as leading businessmen were also present on the occasion.

According to details out of 1,424 corporate cases qualifying under SAS, 238 or 12 per cent were selected through random balloting for detailed scrutiny and total audit. In total 11,972 cases or returns were received by the corporate region under SAS.

Similarly, in the southern region out of 65,699 cases which had qualified under SAS (2001-2002), 11,528 or 23 per cent were selected under random balloting for detailed scrutiny and total audit. In total the region had received 275,224 cases under SAS for the assessment year 2001-2002.

Last year through parametric selection, carried out by the tax department, 64 cases were selected from corporate region for detailed audit and 9,822 from southern region.

Talking to newsman after the computer balloting the regional commissioner of income tax, corporate region, Shahid Jamal said only those cases qualify for SAS who meet entire conditions of the scheme.

He said under circular No.4 of the scheme those cases where tax is not paid by 10 per cent higher than previous year or the return not filed in time, etc., do not qualify for the scheme.

The RCIT, southern region, Akhtar Jamil said the balloting has been transparent and has been done on the basis of random rather than parametric or on the basis of trade.

Referring to recent CBR notification, he further said all National Tax Number (NTN) issued up to 1995 would stand cancelled because they had been based on geographical boundaries.

He said no where in the world such NTN are being used because a taxpayer should have the facility to file his return at any place and for any category of tax.

The president KCCI A Q Khalil, however, expressed his concern over those cases which have not been included in the SAS or could not qualify for the scheme.

He said the tax department should have taken the trade and industry into confidence before removing them from the scheme because the business would like to know that even after paying higher tax than previous year why these cases or returns have been dropped from the SAS.

The KCCI chief also expressed his concern over CBR’s decision to start survey of market places from March 1, 2002, and said at this juncture when the economy was not performing and investment is shy such moves would further dampen the investment climate.

The chairman, Aptma (SB zone) Mushtaq Ahmed Vohra speaking on the occasion said that salaried class should be included in self-assessment scheme as many people belonging to this class have sources of income other than salary.