Staff Reporter
ABBOTTABAD:Chief Commissioner Regional Tax Office (RTO) Abbottabad, Abid Mehmood, has urged taxpayers to fulfill their national responsibility by filing tax returns and clearing their liabilities within the due date, terming it a vital contribution towards the country’s economic stability.Speaking to media representatives, he emphasized that September marks a crucial month for return filing, and urged taxpayers to come forward in large numbers. “This is our national duty,” he said, adding that the department is actively engaging with bar associations, trade bodies, and the business community through awareness campaigns, flyers, and pamphlets to motivate people to meet their obligations.The Chief Commissioner highlighted that in recent years, the Abbottabad zone has maintained a remarkable record of tax collection, often achieving or surpassing targets. He credited this performance to the hard work of dedicated RTO staff and the encouraging response from the people, including traders and other stakeholders.While sharing details of collections from Hazara Division, he said that imports and withholding taxes constitute the major sources of revenue. He added that earlier relief was provided in sales and income tax to Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, and Kolai Palas districts, but now a 10 percent sales tax has been imposed in these three districts, which is expected to significantly improve revenue collection.Commenting on current targets, Abid Mehmood said that the September target has been set at Rs. 7 billion, which he is confident will be achieved. “In July, against a target of Rs. 6 billion, we collected Rs. 6.3 billion, while in August we collected Rs. 5.6 billion against the target of Rs. 6 billion,” he noted.To further improve efficiency, he revealed that digital invoicing will soon be introduced. “This system will automatically populate records and document transactions, ensuring transparency and strengthening tax compliance,” he explained.Abid Mehmood further assured taxpayers that the RTO doors remain open for assistance and complaint resolution.He mentioned that the Tax Facilitation Centers (TFCs) are staffed with senior citizens, women, and retired government employees to provide guidance. For ease of compliance, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a simplified return filing system this year, which he described as “very user-friendly and self-guided.”He further stated that a helpline and a dedicated Taxpayer Service Wing are also operational to support citizens in resolving filing-related issues.Reiterating the importance of collective responsibility, he said: “We should all take tax filing and payments as a national duty. With the cooperation of taxpayers, we are hopeful to not only achieve but surpass our targets.”
