ISLAMABAD (May 31 2004): The sales tax registration and de-registration will be carried out through Taxpayer Education and Facilitation Centres (TFCs) instead of collectorates of sales tax from next fiscal.
The tax officials working in these centres will be empowered to issue instructions, guidelines, and explanatory literature pertaining to tax matters.
Official sources told Business Recorder here on Sunday that the setting up of taxpayer education and facilitation centres would be announced in the upcoming budget.
In the first phase, seven TFCs would be established at Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Quetta and Peshawar with an estimated cost of Rs 31 million, and later, these centres will be established throughout the country under the reform plan, they added.
The TFCs will perform many functions, including taxpayer registration and de-registration, distribution of forms, instructions, guidelines and tax – related literature.
These centres will respond to taxpayers' queries, status of their case or proceedings and other related issues. They will be equipped with telephone, internet, help-lines and other facilities.
The TFCs would also advise and assist taxpayers in filling the forms, record keeping, receive incoming calls and operate meeting rooms.
Sources said a number of taxpayers' approach CBR/collectorates for getting clarifications on income tax and sale tax issues. After setting up of TFCs, the taxpayers would not be required to come to the Board for clarifications.
These centres would issue clarifications directly to the taxpayers in consultation with the Board.
