FBR Freezes PTA Bank Accounts In Its Ongoing Tax Recovery Drive

FBR in its ongoing campaign to recover outstanding tax liabilities against various companies, the Large Taxpayers Unit (LTU), Islamabad has attached all Bank Accounts of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) which owed Rs.3.6 billion to the exchequer on account of Income Tax.

An official statement from FB said that PTA was served with recovery notice under Section 138 (10 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, to deposit the outstanding liabilities by 28th of May 2012 which it failed to do so.

Accordingly, various teams were formed by Chief Commissioner, LTU, Islamabad to recover the amount from PTA through attachment of bank accounts and its receivables from mobile operators, wireless local loop (WLL) operators, Long Distance & International (LDI) operators, land line (LL) operators and Ministry of Information Technology.

When contacted, PTA said it is unaware of the action as of now.

FBR had collected PKR 3.43 billion in 2010 by carrying a similar action against PTA.

Recovery action on Mobilink

Earlier this week, LTU Islamabad had attached bank accounts of Pakistan Mobile Communications’ (Mobilink) and blocked its imports to recover through suppliers of the company,which included other telecom companies as well. Mobilink had said that FBR’s ruling on Sales Tax and FED is sub-judice.

Consequent upon Mobilink’s decision to avail Tax Surcharge and Penalty Waiver Scheme by FBR, the LTU Islamabad has agreed to resolve the issue of recovery of outstanding tax dues amicably, said FBR’s statement.

Revenue of Rs. 2.5 billion will be paid by Mobilink by 30th May, 2012 due to prompt recovery action by LTU, Islamabad, statement concluded.