FBR urged to adopt machine-driven procedures

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Former President of Sarhad Chambers of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Haji Haleem Jan Friday urged Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) to adopt machine-driven procedures to collect revenues which could change the destiny of Pakistan.
Excessive human involvement in the process of collecting taxes has not delivered since the last six decades. Despite this fact, some elements are resisting automation in their own interest. By this, they are doing a great disservice to the society, said Haleem Jan who is also General Secretary Markazi Tanzeem-e-Tajiran, NWFP and President Action Committee Tajiran, Peshawar.
Manual procedures will keep revenue at lowest ebb which will keep poor away from necessary services, he warned. Lauding the impartial role of the high-profile independent committee of experts appointed by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin to look into pros and cons of installing automated customs clearance procedures on terminals, Haleem Jan said the report of committee has absolved Pakistan Automated Custom Clearance System (PaCCS) from all the allegations as certain quarters including a powerful lobby in the FBR who were after PaCCS have been silenced. Haleem Jan said that authors of the report included Shabbar Zaidi from AF Ferguson and Co., Masood Ali Naqvi of KPMG, and Abdul Qadir Memon, President Pakistan Tax Bar Association who were the people of matchless credentials.
Therefore, their findings should be taken seriously. PaCCS is an asset that is not only enhancing revenue but also facilitating importers and exporters. It should be continued and implemented across the country to multiply collections, he added. It is astonishing that during the process of fact-finding, the FBR officials could not point towards any flaw in PaCCS and the committee itself could not identify any problem in the working of software but some officials are still against it, said Haleem.