The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is expected to extend the deadline for the documented tobacco companies for the implementation of the track-and-trace system up to June 30, 2022, for clearance of all brands of cigarette packs with tax stamps.
This would be the third extension granted to the cigarette manufacturing companies for the implementation of the track and trace system.
Sources told ProPakistani that the FBR will issue the necessary notification after approval from FBR Chairman Asim Ahmed. The cigarette manufacturing companies have failed to meet the extended deadline of May 20, 2022, regarding the clearance of all brands of cigarette packs with tax stamps. The testing of the system is underway at the manufacturing units but the finished products are still not cleared from the factories with tax stamps within the expired deadline of May 20.
Earlier, the FBR had extended the deadline for the implementation of the track and trace system for the tobacco sector from April 30, 2022, to May 20, 2022.
Under the law, it is legally required that all cigarette packs being cleared from factories from May 20, 2022, must have tax stamps. The manufacturers have requested the FBR for another extension in the deadline. The deadline has expired on May 20, but the tobacco companies are still in the testing phase of implementing the track-and-trace system.
The FBR was legally required not to allow the cigarette manufacturers to remove tobacco products from the production site, factory premises, or manufacturing plants without affixation of tax stamps/ Unique Identification Marking (UIMs) from the extended deadline of May 20, 2022.