FBR is sending stup*d notices

[Nabs]

They keep on sending notices and I am getting tired of replying them. The latest of which are just plain stupid. In summary, I work online (web developer) and previously had a registered partnership firm (AOP), which was dissolved in 2018. I only used firm to receive foreign remittances to bank account. I registered the business under bad advise from tax agent. I now only receive remittances to my personal bank account.

So for tax year 2019 for the firm they just sent me 2 notices 111(1) and 122(9), undisclosed income and some notice to amend assessment. They say I paid withholding tax of 66 rs in tax year 2019 for some "Goods Payment" as per their track and trace system, and I filled nill statement. Like, WTF? I have never made any goods payment under the firm, I only received remittances and that too ended in tax year 2018. The firm is closed and registration cancelled with the registrar of firms. I also updated dissolution date on IRIS profile.

I have wasted my time and replied to those notices denying any such transaction. I am afraid they will now impose penalties for this fake 66 rs transaction now. They have set hefty penalties for filing inaccurate return.

I opened a complaint on FBR's website, which they closed without answering.

Last year they sent multiple duplicate audit notices for same tax year, which I had to reply each of them.

They only give you 7 days to reply to such notices and they only send it to you by email. If you don't reply within 7 days, there is 40,000 rs fine.

I am losing my patience with this stupidity, and seriously considering moving out of this country. Is there an easy way to move to UAE or any other business friendly country as a self-employed person?

[mgalaxy3]

Try opening a complaint on pm citizens portal.

Heard it works.

Unfortunately legal filers are an easy target.

N instead of praising IT exporters not sure why hassling them..

[uzeemujeeb]

sir i suggest print out all correspondence and pay a visit in person to notice issuing authority. Deal with it nicely in person and it will be resolved in 1st or 2nd visit.

emails are checked by staff incapable to read and understand the english documentation. their notices if you read are plain copy paste document the only change is date and name of addressed person

[mgalaxy3]

Is there an easy way to move to UAE or any other business friendly country as a self-employed person

I think via a free zone company you can move there. Google.

If you want a higher quality of life.

[Nabs]

I read that they are offering 3 year renewble visa to freelancers and I don't have to register any company or file any tax returns there as there is no income tax in UAE. Only charge is freelancer license fee 7500 AED per year and 3,500 AED visa fee per 3 years.

The visa is issued within 2 weeks. Seriously considering this option. Pakistan is no place to do business. Fazool ki tension detay rehtay hain har wakat.

Check out https://gofreelance.ae/

[SER_GTR]

login to IRIS

on Top Most there are sections

go to MIS> Informatation Centre > Payment Details..

Pull the list of transactions under your name for 3-4 yrs and you will know what actually happened there

always file return with all that information pulled from there and mention..

there must be some deduction by bank or someone on your behalf which you dont reported and now bothering you

Fbr consider that undisclosed income/hidden income/expenses . most of it is just automated now and detects any discrepancy between your return and actual deduction in their system .. i would suggest to make amendment in your return by consulting any good lawyer ....

they are sure there to find loose ends and here they find yours...tie that up before you further goes in deep mess

[Nabs]

I checked last 5 years details in MIS> Informatation Centre > Payment Details, and found nothing. zero results.

They sent this notice based on their Track & Trace system at https://iris.fbr.gov.pk/public/txpAILogin.xhtml

This is what I see there under Withholding tab:
Transaction Type: Tax withheld / deducted
Transaction date: 22-MAY-19
Fiscal year: 2019
Description: 153(1)(a) - Payment For Goods U/S 153(1)(A) @4.5% / 6.5%
Value/ Taxable Amount: 6,609
Tax Amount: 66

I work from home and receive remittances only, so this "Payment For Goods" makes zero sense.

I will not amend any return to include this fake transaction. And I will not pay any penalty. If they try to impose penalty, I will hire a tax lawyer and file a case in court.

[SER_GTR]

check in fbr information centre if it still show nothing

then simply reply them simply to show you evidences.... it may not be showing in system for some reason ..or they are just making fuss of nothing

ask for CPR no...and retrive the challan via it....

if theres nothing in your name then you dont need to revise unless its a mistake....

[Panther]

I also recieved fbr notice for the year 2014-15 and as usual with 7 days notice. I straight away went to concerned fbr office , got my attendance recorded and got myself 15 days to respond. Personally submitted my written response and they told me that issue will be settled in a week. After 5 months, I recieved another notice with entirely new issues and no mention of observations that I had previously responded. They even asked evidence of Rs2500 WHT paid at the time of road tax payment. Next notice from fbr is awaited.

[Nabs]

Sending stupid notices is FBR's new hobby. I am filer since 2007 and never faced any issue before PTI government came into power.

[Panther]

I don't think it has to do something with the government. Every year they select a small percentage of tax payers for audit. My wife received notice back in 2017. The best way to get your issues resolved is to visit the person who issued the notice. going to court will not help at all.

[Sajid20]

Most of their notices are system generated in bulk without considering individual circumstances.

You may reply online or may ignore it either.

I would suggest to reply though if there isn't any flaw from your side.

[malik.com1]

I am a filer for last ten years and in my purchase of a house I have been declaring the source of income and the installments i have paid. Now one day out of the blue I receive at my home address (same for last 10 years) a letter saying "we sent you show cause notice on two occasions and you did not respond so here is a court order, you must pay 7 lak for not showing source of income of purchase of the house, else your bank accounts will be closed"

And i was thinking wtf

I been there at fbr office and meeting people and they accept that their "new power toys" made a mistake. The new artificial intelligence system just sends out blindly and its great, people come to us crying and weeping and we feel great "nuisance value"

I hired a tax lawyer and i am taking up the issue. I am told this is happening to so many others as well. Hence the reason for most people don't want to be in the tax system at all.

[SER_GTR]

FBR had automated system now which pickup any discrepancy and point it out..

audit cases are different and taken different.... beside audit cases is system see anything it auto generates and send notification....most of them could be rectified with just attachment and evidences....

many people are facing this issue.

if anyone is not a tax thief or did nothing wrong then there's absolutely nothing to worry or fear...i told this to almost dozen of people who reported similar issues

[mgalaxy3]

Sorry, but there is everything to worry about.

Harassment. Tension. Extra paperwork. Lawyer visits. Fees. Khoon paseena bahana.

Why? Because someone foolishly decided to become transparent and come in tax net.

While 99% of Pakistanis enjoy a Tension free hassle free life free of fbr notices, free of filing returns, nothing at all to worry about. Even those making much more than filers in local income.

The remaining 1% law abiding citizens n filers get notices n do the khwari.

[SER_GTR]

yes it is since ages....unfortunately but things had changed now...with new proposals..FBR's power to audit is under consideration with third party

moreover ..there are many more people in tax net as it used to be back in times....

rest assured...the notices are also issued to non-filers and that notices are more serious bcz they come with questionaries which may need some serious money trail and could lead to seizure of account property cars in extreme cases.....seized bank account was most common thing they do....most of people had to pay eventually under table and over table too to get their accounts going.....

[mgalaxy3]

Sir, you do realize tax filers are only 2.2 million in 2021.

So out of 200 million only 1% of Pakistanis are in the tax net.

[SER_GTR]

it used to be 0.4-0.5mil....

ghoom phirke same banday ka NTN nikal ata tha audit mein ..lol

[nfssaad]

there is also something as people with only salary as source of income are exempt from audit... any one throw any light on it?

[capsat]

salary as source of income are exempt from audit

This may be of some help