PESHAWAR, April 15: A Medium Taxpayer’s Unit (MTU) set up by the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) with a view to facilitate taxpayers and business community of the city became functional on Friday. NWFP Governor Khalil-ur-Rehman was the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony which was also attended by CBR Chairman Abdullah Yousuf, Member Income Tax Salman Nabi and Member (TP & R) M.S. Lal.

Speaking on the occasion, the CBR chairman and other members of the senior staff termed the MTU, established in the premises of the Income Tax Commissionerate, as a big achievement in line with the ongoing reforms introduced to bring about structural changes in the taxation system.

Director of the MTU project Dr Mohammed Irshad explained salient features of the newly established unit and said that the same would be replicated in other income tax zones in fulfilment of the reforms process.

The MTU, Peshawar, which has been established under a pilot project, contains a tax facilitation centre with different counters to provide quick services to taxpayers, a sitting lounge for visitors, a cafeteria, a conference room and a legal wing for providing legal assistance to taxpayers.

Terming the establishment of the Medium Taxpayer’s Unit as a reflection of change from CBR’s traditions to moderation, the project director said that it was in line with the government’s efforts to facilitate taxpayers to enhance their income. He said reforms would be useless without changing the mindset particularly of the workforce employed by the Central Board of Revenue.

In his inaugural speech, the NWFP governor said that the Medium Taxpayer’s Unit would add more to the federal government’s reforms process which, he added, was meant to put in place a taxpayer friendly system.

He, however, suggested that whatever changes were made in the tax system the Central Board of Revenue should take measures to bring about a behavioural change among its tax collectors which, he added, was essential for making people to pay taxes.

He said that the Central Board of Revenue had to play a pivotal role in fulfilling the federal government’s endeavour to establish a socio-economic system based on the principles of just and equitable distribution of wealth.

“Though the government has secured a much greater ground in its zest to achieve its target, a lot more is needed to be done in terms of further improving the tax ratios and raising the number of taxpayers,” said the

governor.