In the July–February period of FY23, FBR misses their goal by Rs212 billion.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was unable to reduce the tax shortfall, which totaled almost Rs212 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year despite an “unusual” jump in collection on the last day, despite enforcing a mini-budget and a significant currency devaluation.
With a massive burden of collecting Rs3.2 trillion in the remaining four months, the FBR could not even reach the Rs4.5 trillion threshold for the duration of the current fiscal year from July to February.
After the implementation of the mini-budget, the new annual tax target is Rs7.640 trillion, up by Rs170 billion. Although the FBR’s monthly target was also expected to be altered, it was not.
Despite a significant rise in federal excise duty and a 1% increase in national sales tax, it kept the old monthly target of Rs 527 billion (GST).
But, according to sources, it was forced to turn to bank advances to reach the monthly objective.
Although Pakistan had promised the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that currency depreciation would help raise an additional Rs180 billion in the current fiscal year, February’s revenue figures may put the nation under additional IMF pressure.
According to FBR authorities, the FBR was able to collect Rs4.49 trillion in taxes from July through February of FY23, falling short of the target by Rs212 billion.
It had promised to make up the difference for the remaining portion of the current fiscal year. But despite some extraordinary tax collections made following the Supreme Court’s directive in February, it did not occur.
The FBR collected Rs4.49 trillion over the course of the eight months at an average daily rate of Rs18.7 billion. The collection rose by Rs671 billion, or 18%, although less than the rate of inflation at the time.
The FBR has to increase the average daily collection to Rs26 billion to collect an additional Rs3.15 trillion between March and June.
The FBR must raise the daily average collection to Rs26 billion if it hopes to collect an additional Rs3.15 trillion between March and June.
The final day of the month saw an unusually high collection of Rs68 billion, which was 128% higher than it was on the corresponding day the previous year. The Shout Me Please was informed by highly placed sources that loans were taken out from Karachi and Lahore banks.
When questioned if he received significant advances to cover the shortfall, the head commissioner of the Karachi Large Taxpayer Office remained silent.
A record-breaking Rs39.9 billion in income taxes were collected on the final day, which increased concerns that the traditional practice of accepting advances might have been used.
Former FBR chairman Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad had stopped accepting offers, which was against the law.
The least amount of advance tax was collected from banks in February, according to a representative of the FBR headquarters. He suggested that the fact that all of the effort to make up the shortfall was put forward on the final day may be one factor contributing to the unusual spike.
The large Taxpayer Office in Islamabad also completed recoveries against demand, which also helped to boost the amount of income tax collected each day.
To dispel the concern, the FBR is expected to provide a company-by-company breakdown of the Rs 40 billion in income tax receipts.
For the ninth month in a row, the total amount of customs duty collected fell short of the goal. The FBR only received Rs626 billion in customs duty, falling Rs101 billion short of the goal.
The amount of income tax collected in eight months was Rs1.96 trillion, an increase of Rs629 billion or 47%. While it must be stated in light of advancements, the collection came in at Rs47 billion more than the goal.
The greater value of the dollar helped the FBR collect Rs212 billion in income tax in February, which was Rs34 billion more than their goal.
Moreover, sales tax receipts were Rs1.7 trillion in eight months, which was Rs138 billion short of the goal. The FBR failed miserably in its attempt to benefit from the 28–30% inflation rate.
A severe question mark has been raised over the revenue board’s effectiveness because the eight-month collection was just Rs26 billion greater than the previous fiscal year.
Despite an increase in the GST rate, the FBR only collected Rs213 billion in sales taxes in February, falling short of its goal by Rs15 billion.
Despite a rise in the FED rate on cigarettes and alcohol, federal excise duty collection came in at Rs216 billion, missing the target by Rs23 billion. When compared to the revenues received during the same period of the previous fiscal year, the collection increased by Rs 19 billion.
