IT was interesting to read your editorial headed `Tax puzzles` (Sept 20). You have touched some vital issues concerning tax collection.
Although the FBR appears to be serious about widening the number of tax payers, practically, the results are otherwise.
During the PPP government, Shaukat Aziz had allowed taxpayers having an income of less than Rs5 lacs not to submit their wealth statement. Later, it raised the ceiling to Rs01 million. This relaxationworked for two years for Nawaz Sharif`s government. But now the FBR has made it mandatory to submit the wealth statement with tax returns, irrespective of the annual income.
The goverment is requested that those having an income less than Rs01 million should be exempted from submitting the wealth statement. This will encourage tax payers having low incomes to file their tax returns.
People still remember the late Dr Mahbubul Haq as finance minister three decades back. He had introduced simplest tax returns, resulting in the collection of higher revenues.
