ISLAMABAD - The Federal Board of Revenue on Tuesday informed a parliamentary committee that around 1.238 million people had filed their tax returns by February 15, which are 24 percent higher than the returns filed last year.

The FBR’s official informed the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue that 998,000 returns were field during corresponding period year of the previous year. The committee, which met under the chair of Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, has also discussed the Private Member’s Bill further to amend the protection of Economic Reforms Act, 1992 (The Protection of Economic Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2016), introduced by Saleem Mandviwala.

The State Bank of Pakistan informed the committee that it has also drafted a bill in this regard, which has been moved to the ministry of finance for consideration. They would also seek the viewpoint of the ministry of law and FBR. The committee chairman said that government should compare the SBP’s bill with his bill protection of Economic Reforms Act, 1992 (The Protection of Economic Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2016) and present the report to the committee.

The committee also discussed the confiscation of the non-custom paid vehicles in different cities of the country. The FBR informed that 3363 vehicles were confiscated in last four years in which 2150 vehicles were confiscated in Quetta, 1026 from Peshawar and 187 in Karachi.