KARACHI, Oct 27: The Regional Tax Office Karachi’s mobile tax units during a short period of one month visited 108 organisations and managed to reach around 45,691 new taxpayers.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is taking measures to increase the number of taxpayers so that tax-to-GDP ratio which presently stands at 10 per cent could improve to 15 per cent to match the regional countries.

Two mobile vans of the RTO Karachi, having FBR logo, and equipped with necessary staff and computers, have started their operations from Sept 18 to reach taxpayers at their door-step.

According to official sources, each mobile van is having a staff, headed by an income tax officer, an inspector in uniform KPO and a driver (also in uniform).

Both the teams are working under the supervision of Dr Manzoor Ahmed Memon, additional commissioner of income tax.

These mobile units have specially targeted those areas and organisations which are shy or had been traditionally out of the tax ambit for some reason or the other.

Official sources said that during the last one month these units visited major hospitals and educational institutions, banks, government organisations including city district government, Karachi Building Control Authority, high court, Sindh secretariat etc.

During their visits, the staff members of these mobile tax units held meetings with finance secretaries, accountants, doctors, professors, employees and faculty members. Beside giving guidance and necessary information, these teams provided material at the door-step of taxpayers.

They distributed pro forma of income tax returns, wealth statement, tax amnesty scheme and applications for allotment of NTN.

These mobile units also provide tax payment challans for payment of due tax in the National Bank of Pakistan’s designated branches.

Sources said that around 28,412 taxpayers were detected to have no NTN and those who have CNICs are being allotted tax numbers while for others, applications have been obtained.