Non-Filers to be Given Chance to Explain Their Position Before Travel Ban

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb Tuesday said that non-filers of income tax will be given a chance to explain their position before barring them from travelling abroad. Speaking in the National Assembly, the minister also said that under Section 116 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, an explanation will be included in the declaration of foreign assets and assets of a spouse, in case of spouse being dependent on the taxpayer. Moreover, the minister said that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will see if the non-filer is habitual in filing late returns and will be fined accordingly. If the non-filer has not filed the income tax return within the due date even once, the amount of the fine will be increased, he added. It is pertinent to mention here that to strengthen tax enforcement for non-filers the federal government has proposed to prohibit non-filers from travelling abroad.