The Federal Board of Revenue has decided to block the sims of 500,000 people who have failed to file tax returns.

According to a recently published news report, FBR is planning to issue a general tax order after Eid-ul-Fitr announcing the blockage of sims for people who are liable to pay tax but have not filed returns. The sims will be blocked by the end of April.

FBR has already finalised a list of almost 400,000 people after consultations with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.

The revenue collector reportedly has much larger plans but is planning to send a message through the initial blocking of sims, indicating that it is serious about enforcing tax compliance.

FBR had wanted to block as many as 2 million sims but the propsal was oppsed by telecom companies who said that it would be hard to undertake such a massive exercise.

The people who likely to be affected by the measure had been served notices after they failed to file tax returns, but they did not budge.

FBR has powers to not only block sims but can also disconnect gas and electricity connections.