Govt Has Collected Data on 4.9 Million Non-Filers’ Homes, Assets, Cars, Will Start Taking Action Soon: Finance Minister

The federal government has collected all data on 4.9 million non-filers’ assets, houses, foreign travel, and cars and will start issuing notices to enforce tax regime, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said in a press conference on Sunday. Aurangzeb said this data, which was collected from National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and other sources, will not be used to harass non-filers but to bring them into the tax net. Notices will be issued centrally, with field formations only contacting individuals where necessary. Effective enforcement action will be taken against tax defaulters, he added. The minister thanked everyone for supporting the Tajir Dost Scheme and announced that tax refunds worth Rs. 70 billion had been issued so far since July 1st. He stressed the need to increase the tax net and ensure tax payments and urged provinces to legislate where required to bring the agricultural sector into the tax net. Aurangzeb revealed that the government has uncovered a sales tax fraud of Rs. 600 billion and under-invoicing to the tune of Rs. 200 billion in customs. Price monitoring committees will be activated to prevent unfair advantage, particularly concerning petroleum products linked to the global market. The minister also mentioned that positive discussions on CPEC Phase Two are ongoing, and working groups will be formed soon to further these initiatives.