Punjab Revenue Authority has introduced tax culture as a national responsibility : Ayesha Ghaus

Lahore : Provincial Minister for Finance Ayesha Ghaus Pasha has said that Punjab Revenue Authority has carved out a unique identity for itself among tax collection agencies at federal and provincial level due to its public-friendly attitude. She said that the authority has defeated the negative concepts of harassment and enforcement and introduced tax culture as a national responsibility.

This was stated by during her visit to Punjab Revenue Authority headquarters to review six months’ performance of the authority, here today.

The Minister said that the receipt of more than 36.5 billion rupees during the period from July 2016 to December 2016 is a big achievement of PRA. She congratulated PRA on collection of the highest tax collection among provincial agencies so far.

Chairman PRA Raheel Ahmad Sidique, while giving a briefing to Ayesha Ghaus Pasha said that graph of monthly receipts of PRA moved upwards continuously from July 2014 to December 2016. He said that a substantial increase has also been made in the collection of withholding tax.

He further informed the Minister that PRA is signing an agreement with Federal Board of Revenue for input adjustment as a result of which FBR will provide its customs data to PRA.

Moreover, the formula of Punjab Infrastructure Cess receipt has also been devised. He said that registration of dry port owners has been completed and complaints of traders regarding double tax are being looked into. He said that after beauty parlors, more luxury services are being brought under tax net.

Giving a briefing on restaurant invoice monitoring system, Raheel Ahmad Siddique informed Ayesha Ghaus Pasha that in the wake of increase of 28 percent in tax receipts, RIMS is also being introduced in Faisalabad and it will be launched formally in the city in the second week of January.

The Minister gave instructions to the authority members regarding setting up of the offices at distract level and expansion of tax net and ensured all out cooperation of Finance Department in this regard.