FACILITATION AND TAXPAYERS EDUCATION WING (FATE).

The FATE wing of FBR is one of the support wings created as a result of tax administrative reform process also known as (TARP). In the wake of universal self assessment and introduction of new audit based Income Tax Ordinance and Sales Tax Law as well as speedy Customs clearance screened through automated risks parameters, the importance of tax payers’ facilitation and education has also emerged as a hallmark of newly reformed FBR.

Functions of FATE Wing:

•  To ensure flow of information to the stake holders that is timely, relevant and of high quality. Liaison with the electronic and print media of the country for all the updates, news and events.

• To receive the information and queries from the taxpayers regarding procedural and technical difficulties being faced by them in meeting the tax obligations and to respond by rendering them advice in removing such difficulties.

•  To promote ‘cultural change’ in FBR as tax officials must adopt a more assisting and facilitating attitude towards taxpayers rather than traditional confrontational mode.

• Preparation and publishing brochures, guides, and material related to all taxes for the facilitation general public at large, the taxpayers and the tax authorities.

• To simplify tax return forms and other forms for the facilitation of tax payers.

• To maintain a user friendly website providing maximum information to the stake holder regarding tax laws, procedures, and facilitation brochures and forms.

• Arranging and organizing tax awareness seminars, employee workshops and question answer sessions.

• To assist administration wing in establishing about 65 Tax Facilitation Centers (TFC’s) all over the country.

• Establishing information spots, mobile information units for facilitation of the taxpayers.

• Liaison with the tax payers representatives such as chamber of commerce, trade bodies through awareness seminars, workshops etc.

• Responding to the queries of tax payers and general public related to all the taxes through the helpline desk via telephone, e-mail, fax and letters.

• Representation to the Chairman FBR: A Grievance Cell under Section: (7) the FBR Act to be established at the FATE wing as per decision of the FBR’s board in council to receive and process applications regarding the grievances of any person aggrieved by any action done or taken for the enforcement of the fiscal laws or any notification issued by the Federal Government or due to any act of maladministration, corruption and misbehavior by any officer or employee of the Board or any unnecessary delay or hardship caused due to any administrative process. And submit a final report to the Chairman FBR for decision.

• Tax Awareness seminars: Seminars will be organized in all major urban stations in collaboration with local representatives of trade and industry. FBR leadership will explain the changes introduced and the future course of action to be followed by Q&A session. Members of professional bodies and other segment of intelligentsia will be invited.

• Employee workshops: will be organized in all major cities where FBR leadership along with field managers will hold interactive sessions with the employees to get latest feed back about their feelings and response to the reform process.

• Website: FBR website will be revamped and updated to provide latest information to the stake holders. Pakistanis living abroad must be able to access latest changes in Tax laws, foreign investors can be diverted through a user friendly website.

Future Action Plan of FATE Wing:

• National Essay writing competitions shall be arranged on the national tax issues in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Higher education  Commission.

• Capacity Building Courses: for tax officers frequently in public contact will be arranged to acquaint them with ‘best practices’ in public dealing of being polite, courteous and helpful to the tax payers.

• Call Center/ Complaint Handling System: Help line is currently serving the tax payers by responding to their queries through phone, e-mail, fax and courier. An automated complaint handling system / call center is being planned to be set up in near future.

• Brochures and Leaflets: FBR has traditionally been weak in this vital area; however reform efforts must introduce the culture of facilitation of tax payers thr