In a bid to tackle tax evasion, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has taken decisive action by blocking the mobile phone SIM cards of non-filers across the country.
This action follows the government’s decision to crack down on individuals who have failed to fulfill their tax obligations.
Effective immediately, the SIM cards of all individuals identified as non-filers with taxable income will be blocked until May 15.
This decision was communicated through a notification issued by the FBR, with instructions given to telecom companies to implement the measure promptly.
The list of non-filers comprises 506,671 individuals who have not been included in the Active Taxpayers List. These individuals have been targeted for their failure to file tax returns for the year 2023.
Furthermore, the FBR has emphasized that the process to unblock mobile SIMs of non-filers will not be straightforward. Any requests for restoration will be subject to approval from the FBR or the concerned commissioner. Sources suggest that this is just the first phase of the FBR’s plan to tackle tax evasion. In total, data for over 2 million individuals has been compiled, indicating that more non-filers may face similar action in the upcoming phases.
It’s worth noting that the FBR also possesses the authority to disconnect electricity connections of non-filers, adding another layer of enforcement to ensure tax compliance across the board.
