FBR vows simpler, digital-first tax system

According to Express Tribune, FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial has said the authority aims to streamline the tax regime and make it easier to deal with, placing emphasis on wider digital services. He made the comments during a Wednesday meeting with members of the Lahore Tax Bar Association. Tax practitioners and other stakeholders will be consulted more closely so that disputes are settled faster and policymaking becomes more inclusive.

The delegation raised several practical problems, including a demand for a PRAL desk in Lahore that could settle system faults in person instead of through remote channels. Members also pointed to recurring IRIS portal glitches during busy filing periods. They wanted jurisdiction lines drawn more clearly for RTO-I and RTO-II, a simpler way to move cases between them, and easing on minimum tax matters.

Citing unresolved technical and legal obstacles, the group requested a later deadline for income tax returns. The bar also highlighted problems updating taxpayer records under Section 181 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, along with reconciliation gaps across income tax and sales tax filings. The Lahore Tax Bar Association thanked the leadership for listening and voiced hope that the matters would be addressed promptly. The FBR has faced pressure under an agreement with the IMF to widen the tax base, making digitisation central to its reform agenda.