Asset information portal: Businessmen hail step amid data security concerns

[ahlam1399]

KARACHI: Stakeholders on Saturday spoke high of the assets information web portal launched by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), but in the same breath warned that in case of a security breach, the sensitive data may be hacked and used for harassment.The FBR has introduced a separate portal for the asset information and asked the general public to view the details of assets registered to their Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) numbers. The access has been granted through a secured process of login against a password generated via registered mobile phones. The stakeholders said that this development would boost the ongoing asset declaration scheme, adding, it would also help those people who are raising queries about their details with the FBR.However, they were concerned over the possible misuse of information and questioned the safety of accessing the database. Some questions have also been raised about outdated information.Badaruddin Ahmad Qureshi, Chief Commissioner Inland Revenue (CCIR) Regional Tax Office (RTO)-II, said the FBR was already in possession of this information.“The website has been launched with the sole aim of letting the general public in on what the FBR has so far unearthed,” Qureshi said.He added that two years ago the FBR had a database of around 5.6 million transactions gathered from various sources including electricity connections, banking transactions, motor vehicle registrations, air travel, education fees, etc.“This database is grown overtime and continues to expanding with more and more data pouring in from local transactions as well as information made available through OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) treaty,” the tax official said.To bring more people into the tax net, Qureshi said the FBR was all geared up to take action in light of the latest guidelines, but it would wait for the ongoing asset declaration scheme to expire.Daroo Khan Achakzai, President, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) supported the step, but was sceptical of the security of the sensitive data, given the rampant corruption in the tax apparatus."The database should not only be for viewing purpose. It should allow people to intimate FBR about those transactions which they have made or not made.”He further suggested that there should be a provision on the portal that allows a person to know how many times his/her profile was viewed.Khan said that during his meeting this week with the Prime Minister had made it clear that the government had information about the assets of tax dodgers and asset declaration scheme was the best and last opportunity for them. The FPCCI president quoted the prime minister as saying that the government would have no other option to take stern action against tax evaders.He said that the FPCCI had suggested the prime minister to allow a three-month grace period for payment under asset declaration scheme on declarations that were filed by June 30, 2019.Abdul Qadir Memon, President, Pakistan Tax Bar Association (PTBA), said the FBR’s web portal was useful tool for public to access the information about their tax profile.“The information should be used for deterrence in order to make ongoing amnesty scheme successful,” Memon said.He said all the tax authorities around the world keep such information and make automated assessment on the basis of such details.He said that people should avail the tax amnesty scheme to avoid harsh penal action, adding that tax amnesty scheme had very low tax rates. Besides, the valuations of immovable properties notified by the FBR are also very low, he said.Ikhtiar Baig, senior businessmen leader representing banking sector of Pakistan, said people should avail amnesty scheme as their information had been made public.He expressed reservations over the leakage of information and said past track record of the FBR was not sound in this regard. “There should be foolproof security for the information and access of FBR officials should be restricted,” he added.Baig said the business community should have to be taken on board before launching such initiative. He, however, said the business community stood by the FBR in this matter.Talking about future course of action by the FBR in post amnesty scheme, he said it depends upon the government will.Yahya Polani, representative and former chairman of Air Travel Association Pakistan, said asset information portal was launched very late. “Time for availing amnesty scheme should be extended,” Polani said.With this initiative the number of taxpayers and revenue would increase, he said, adding that if the government could be able to raise revenue by 2-3 percent of the GDP then it would help Pakistan in reducing debt and also soften the conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).Talking about the security of web portal, he said a lot of such noise would be raised in the FBR as many of those tax officials were not in favour of broadening the tax base.Polani said the FBR had neither taken information of passengers from the air travel association nor the association was taken on board before taking such measures.He urged the government to extend the date for availing the amnesty scheme because due to fiscal year closing in June many people were facing liquidity problems.Shafiq Ahmed Shaikh, Head of Public Relations, Suzuki Motors, termed it a timely move by the FBR and said that it would improve public confidence regarding their queries about their details of assets.“This will make direct contact of general public with the FBR,” Shaikh added.Hanif Gohar, former chairman Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) said this showed commitment of the government for raising revenue through broadening of tax base.“This has to be done for bringing taxable incomes into the tax net,” he said, adding that it would eliminate the grey economy.He said although people were not mentally prepared for this due to prevailing tax culture in the country, the economy must be documentedHe said the government had opened many avenues simultaneously. "The government should gradually improve the tax net on the basis of available information," he said.Gohar said the information of assets should be meant for bringing new taxpayers and existing taxpayers should be provided relief.The launch of the portal also drew mixed reactions from the users.One user said, "I think data integration will improve. More WHT (withholding) taxes need to be included. From the data i can see the following data has been integrated so far: FIA Travel, Home/Interior ministry permits, Motor Vehicle authority,No data from banks, educational institutions, NCCPL, mobile phones".Another user said, "I just checked mine. It’s a good step but data is still incomplete, there were at least 7-8 types of WHT I have paid yet it only showed 2 types to me - that too 2 years old."One said, "Just checked mine, some of the travel data and mobile payment data is wrong. Have no email address where you can approach customer services for correction. However, fast and informative!".An angry users said," Who is the holder of all my "correlated assets, travel, expense information", where is the data stored and what is the confidentiality around it. This is not as simple as it sounds. I have not signed up, but during the registration process do you sign up on the terms and conditions, and "agree and consent" to provide and let Nadra retain all your information? Who is Nadra to have access to all my information, and under what legal provisions?"A user said, "The portal has incomplete info. Might backfire if people discover that the govt does not have all the information they claim to have.""Overall the response is mixed but whoever has checked seems to have the same issue of the portal not having updated information and mostly incomplete but then it’s possible that the data will continue to be updated and once registered people can monitor and see what information FBR has on their transactions and assets and will encourage them to file returns," a user said."As per info provided the Nadra FBR site has removed data of tax paid in terms of income and asset value and stated it as indicative profile primary info included is only based on CNIC filed for connections for electricity, gas etc. Important aspect is data pertaining to travel ownership of vehicles which will be used by the FBR for issuing notices as expected. Till data there is no information on bank related details," a user said.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/lZKo1To5Prw

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