ایف بی آر کی پریس ریلیز

   An advertisement appearing in a section of the press suggests that the commitment of the government to pay all outstanding sales tax refunds to the five export-oriented sectors has not been fulfilled. This impression is strongly refuted. FBR issued clear instructions to its field offices for processing and sanctioning of refund claims as per law. Regional Tax Offices and Large Taxpayers Units were kept open on 29th and 30th August, 2015, despite being weekly holidays, to work on the refund claims and liquidate the pendency. The field formations of FBR have reported processing of all such pending claims filed with requisite supportive documents. 

 

  The remaining claims could not be processed for the reason that the claimants had not submitted requisite documents. The refund cheques for the processed claims have been issued and the cheques for the claims processed in the last days of August are also under issue. 

 

  It is also emphasized that Centralized Sales Tax Refund Office (CSTRO), FBR, has already issued cheques amounting to Rs. 13 billion during July and August 2015 as compared to Rs 3 billion in July and August 2014 showing an increase of Rs. 10 billion i.e. 300%.

 

  The advertisement also suggests the field formations are mostly rejecting the claims in contradiction to FBR’s directives. It is clarified, in this respect, that the refund process involves verification of invoices against which refund is claimed. If the invoices remain unverified and the claimant also is not able to establish their authenticity, the field formations have no option but to reject or defer the claim.