NBR launches EU-backed hotline for taxpayers

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has launched an instant service to assist income taxpayers file online returns and clarify their income tax-related confusions.
Tax officials are responding through a hotline number for the first time to meet taxpayers' queries, officials said.
The European Union (EU) has provided grant for system support, security and trouble-shooting of the instant response system, managed by Synesis IT Limited.

The NBR's Income Tax Wing has deployed its officials to respond to taxpayers immediately and answer their queries over phone.
Some eight teams of 40 tax officials have been assigned to respond immediately to the taxpayers across the country.
Officials said the hotline, opened on October 10 with the pilot e-return filing system, is receiving nearly 100 queries daily from taxpayers.
A senior tax official said there are service centres that require physical visit of taxpayers.
"The hotline resolves problems over phone to help the taxpayers prepare returns by their own."
Besides, all types of tax-related services are provided through the hotline. Taxmen are offering the services during office hour every day, he also said.
Taxpayers will not need to take help of other professionals to file tax returns, if they take assistance of the taxmen through the hotline.
The EU is providing technical assistance to make the system effective and successful, he added.
The hotline number 09612717171 has started getting increased repose of taxpayers, as the deadline for submission of individual tax returns, November 30, is approaching.
Last year, the NBR received 2.4 million tax returns from individual taxpayers.
Currently, the number of electronic taxpayers' identification number (TIN) holders is nearly 6.5 million.
The NBR officials opined that the e-return filing system would help to increase the number of tax returns, as a large number of taxpayers do not require visiting tax offices.
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