Tax offices to remain open
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) yesterday asked its field offices to stay open in order to provide services and collect taxes during the extended period of strict restrictions imposed by the government to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The directive came a day after the Cabinet Division extended the restriction on movement by another week until May 23.
It, however, included revenue offices as emergency services, meaning that the tax offices can remain open during this period.
Revenue officials said field offices of customs and valued added tax (VAT) had been open during the curb to provide services to businesses, exporters and importers, and collect revenue.
Tax offices were open only to provide emergency services to taxpayers. However, taxmen could not do activities such as assessment of taxes and issue notices in absence of legal clarity.
The latest notification by the cabinet cleared the way for keeping tax offices open despite concerns of the pandemic spreading.
In its notice, the NBR asked its field level tax offices to carry out regular activities by following health guidelines to prevent infection.
The NBR is the main revenue collector for the state. It collects roughly 85 per cent of the total taxes and non-tax revenue annually.
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