The government has proposed amendments to the Finance Bill 2024 that aim to provide an opportunity for non-filers of tax returns before they face restrictions such as being blocked from using their SIM cards or being banned from foreign travel.

The proposed amendments in the Finance Bill 2024 focus on provisions related to non-filers, wealth statements, foreign assets, and withholding taxes.

Based on the recommendation of the Senate Finance Committee, the government has decided to give non-filers a chance to file their tax returns before the previous proposal of prohibiting them from traveling abroad is implemented. Earlier, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had suggested in the bill that non-filers would not be allowed to go abroad.

The government has decided that non-filers will be allowed to travel for Umrah or Hajj pilgrimages. The students will be exempted from the requirement to file tax returns.

“For the removal of doubt it is clarified that reference against order of the Commissioner (Appeals), received after the date of commencement of the Tax Laws(Amendment) Act, 2024, where the value of the assessment or, as the case may be, refund of the tax exceeds twenty million rupees, shall lie before the High Court notwithstanding the proceedings pending prior to the date of commencement of the said Act,” the proposed amendment to the Finance Bill said.“

According to sources, FBR has also included an explanation in the Finance Bill that the assets of a spouse will only be included in the wealth statement of the person if the spouse is considered a dependent.

Sources indicate that the FBR has proposed some changes, such as transferring cases from the Commissioner of Appeals within the FBR to the Appellate Tribunal.

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