Mohsin Siddiqui (Chief Reporter) 

Telecom companies have assured Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb of their commitment to block 5,000 SIMs daily belonging to non-filers of income tax returns. This assurance was conveyed during a meeting held at the Ministry of Finance, where high-ranking officials from telecom companies engaged with Minister Aurangzeb.

The meeting, attended by representatives from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), resulted in a mutual agreement to implement the daily blocking of 5,000 SIMs belonging to individuals listed in Income Tax General Order No. 1 of 2024.

In accordance with this agreement, telecom operators have initiated the process of blocking SIMs as per the directives outlined in the FBR’s Income Tax General Order (ITGO). Additionally, the FBR has commenced sending notifications to 5,000 non-filers, warning them of SIM blocking if they fail to file their returns.

Recognizing the urgency of the matter, the FBR has already dispatched the second batch of 5,000 non-filers’ information to the telecom companies. These companies have committed to manually block SIMs in smaller batches until their systems are fully equipped to automate the process.

Further batches of non-filers’ information will be sent to the telecom companies on a daily basis to ensure continuous enforcement. Moreover, telecom operators have begun notifying non-filers about the impending SIM blocking for compliance purposes.

This collaborative effort between the FBR and telecom operators underscores their shared commitment to tax regulation adherence and taxpayer compliance. It marks a significant stride towards bolstering tax collection and enforcement mechanisms across the country.