The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has intensified efforts to enrol shopkeepers in the Easy Tax Scheme launched by the government, with penalties of up to Rs 50,000 now looming for those who fail to register or file returns through either available option.
According to media reports, the decision was taken at a review meeting chaired by Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani, which assessed the progress of the scheme and decided to accelerate the awareness campaign.
Tax commissioners nationwide were directed to coordinate with local tax bars, and shopkeepers will also be allowed to have their trusted lawyers complete registration forms on their behalf. The meeting was briefed that trader representatives had submitted lists of local traders willing to accompany FBR officials on joint market visits.
Kayani said trader representatives should be used to ensure information about the scheme reaches every shopkeeper, adding that the government had fulfilled its promise by acting on the demands of traders and that it was now up to shopkeepers to make the scheme, which they had helped design, a success.
He noted that shopkeepers currently have two options: registering under the Easy Tax Scheme or continuing under the conventional filing method.
Under the terms agreed with trader representatives, FBR may fine shopkeepers who use neither option: Rs 10,000 in the first month, Rs 25,000 in the second and Rs 50,000 in the third. Shopkeepers may pay a fixed tax based on turnover or file a regular return.
Registered shopkeepers will not face routine audits, and FBR staff will not enter their shops. On September 15, Kayani affixed a green plate at a registered shop, marking the rollout of the scheme. Senior FBR officials and commissioners nationwide attended via video link.
