SOHAIL SARFRAZ

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided that the revised Request for Proposal (RfP) for hiring a reputable company for electronic monitoring of cigarette manufacturing companies would be finalized in April 2017.

Sources said that the Tax Reform Commission (TRC) meeting to be held at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Friday (April 21) will review the progress on electronic monitoring/production of cigarette manufacturing companies.

Earlier, it was decided that the revised draft of the RfP shall be finalized before the end of April. RfP shall be run through Public Procurement Regulatory Authority and its input/reply shall be requested to be furnished. Advertisement for RfP shall be issued.

Following are the decisions/progress of the TRC, to be discussed in the TRC meeting at the FBR House on Friday (April 21):

TRC Proposal: Paradigm shift in the training model for tax administration through establishment of a National School of Tax and Finance at Lahore by transforming the existing DGTR IR, Lahore

Decision: This item was deferred for the next meeting and it was decided that the DGTR would be invited to attend the next meeting.

Further Action: Further discussion to be held on this issue

Remarks: Director General Directorate of Training Chief (Reforms), FBR

TRC Proposal: Digital monitoring of Tier One retailers and restaurants in Islamabad Capital Territory

Remarks: Presentation by Secretary (ST&FE) Budget, FBR.

TRC Proposal: Alternate Dispute Resolution to be under F.T.O

Decision: The Alternate Dispute Resolution Committees for Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad to be notified by 30th March, 2017 and the said committees to be made effective/functional with effect from 3rd April, 2017.

Further Action: The Committee to be apprised regarding progress on this issue

Remarks: Chief (Operations), FBR.

TRC Proposal: Strengthening of tax audit function

Decision: (i) It was decided that in the first phase exclusive focus would be on withholding tax audit of telecom companies (ii) TOR’s for conducting forensic audit of banks to be finalized by 5th April, 2017 (iii) Advertisements for conducting forensic audit to be published by 29th March, 2017.

Further Action: The Committee to be apprised regarding progress made on this issue

Remarks: Member (Taxpayers Audit), FBR, Masoud Naqvi, Member (TRIC), Ashfaq Tola, Member (TRIC) & Abid Shaban Member (TRIC)

TRC Proposal: Mapping of retail outlets.

Decision: The committee was informed that an advertisement has already been published in the newspapers inviting bids for development of digital diary through mapping and geo-tagging. It was decided that short listed bidders will be invited latest by 31st March, 2017 to make a presentation on the roadmap to accomplish this task

Further Action: Chief (BTB) to apprise the committee regarding the progress made in this respect.

Remarks: Chief (BTB), FBR.

TRC Proposal: Action plan to reduce the quantum of the underground economy in Pakistan.

Decision: Member (IT), FBR to make a presentation on this issue.

Further Action: —-

Remarks: Member (IT), FBR.

TRC Proposal: Electronic Monitoring of production of the Tobacco Industry

Decision: It was decided that the revised draft of the RFP shall be finalized before the end of the first week of April. RFP shall be run through Public Procurement Regulatory Authority and their input/reply shall be requested to be furnished latest by 14th April, 2017. Advertisement for RFP shall be placed.

Further Action: Sub-Committee to apprise the Committee regarding progress made in this respect.

Remarks: The sub-committee constituted for this purpose comprises of the following:-

Member (HRM) (Convener), Member (IR-Ops), (Member), Member (SPR&S) (Member), Ashfaq Tola (Member), Abid Shaban (Member), Secretary(ST&FE) (Member) & CEO (PRAL) (Member).

TRC Proposal: Committee for simplification of laws.

Decision: It was decided that a sub-committee be constituted for simplification of tax laws on a priority basis so the some suggestions can be incorporated in the next finance bill. The Sub-committee comprises of the following members:-

Dr Muhammad Iqbal, Member (IR-Policy) Chairman; Hafiz Muhammad Ali Indhar, Member (Legal); Abid Shaban, Member (TRIC); Ashfaq Tola , Member (TRIC); Afaque Ahmed Qureshi, Secretary (Income Tax Policy).

Co-opted Members

Habib Fakhruddin, (Ex-Member FATE, FBR); Qadir Memon (Ex-President PTBA); Shamer Haroon , (FCA); Asif Haroon,(FCA); Mohsin Nadeem, (President PTBA); Naveed Andrabi, (Advocate SCP); Muhammad Raza, (FCA); Monim Sultan, (Advocate); Haider Patel (FCA); Syed Bakhtiar Kazmi (FCA).

The TOR’s of the committee were formulated which have been detailed in the minutes of the last meeting of the TRIC held on 24th March, 2017.

Further Action: Sub-committee to apprise the TRIC regarding progress made in this respect

Remarks: Members of the Sub-Committee on simplification of laws

TRC Proposal: Advance Ruling Mechanism

Decision: Member (IR-Policy), FBR to make a presentation on this issue.

Remarks: Member (IR-Policy)

TRC Proposal: Performance Evaluation/formulation of KPI’s

Decision: It was decided that the matter be taken up in the next Chief Commissioners Conference and a brainstorming session be held to identify issues relating to implementation of KPI’s and obtain concrete proposals for improving the evaluation system.

Remarks: Member (HRM)

TRC Proposal: I.T strategy for FBR

Further Action: Presentation by CEO (PRAL)

Remarks: Left over item from previous TRIC meeting held on 24.3.2017

TRC Proposal: Appellate Forums

Decision: This proposal will be discussed in future meetings.

Further Action: Abid Shaban to make a presentation on this issue

Remarks: Left over item from previous TRIC meeting held on 24.3.2017.