President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday signed the presidential ordinance regarding the newly introduced tax amnesty scheme related to disclosure of assets.
Following the signature of the president, the scheme will come into effect across the country, and will be appli
cable to un
declared assets until June 30, 2019.
A day earlier, the federal government approved the tax amnesty scheme during a cabinet session held under the chair of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Sources said that the scheme would be appli
cable to benami bank accounts.
The individuals who took charge of government offices after 2000 would not be
able to benefit from the amnesty scheme.
Suggestions were made during the cabinet meeting to charge 4 percent tax from the persons who
declared their properties until December 31, and 2 percent for those
declaring assets until September 30, sources said. According to the new law, 6 percent tax would be collected on the
declaration of foreign assets and 4 percent taxation on
declaring assets inside the country.
Adviser to PM on Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh had said that every Pakistani citizen – except for public office holders and their dependents – could avail this scheme to
declare all previously undisclosed assets either abroad or in Pakistan. Announcing the particulars, he said that citizens could use the scheme to whiten previously un
declared assets abroad by paying 4 percent tax. He said that a condition to
declaring cash was that the amount be kept in a Pakistani bank account. He said that those who wished to keep the money abroad after getting it whitened would have to pay 6 percent tax.
For
declaring properties, he said that value on which tax would be charged would be the market value, given that it was not less than 1.5 times the FBR-assigned value.
He further said the deadline of June 30 would not be extended and that the scheme was the last opportunity for Pakistani citizens to
declare previously undisclosed assets before the “law takes its course”.
He added that the scheme would also facilitate holders of benami accounts and properties in
declaring their assets before they were confiscated under a new law for benami assets, which also carried the possibility of prison sentences.
Salient features of new ordinance
* 5 percent tax on individuals
declaring assets by June 30, 2019
* 10 percent tax on individuals
declaring assets by September 30, 2019
* 20 percent tax on individuals
declaring assets by December 31, 2019
* 30 percent tax on individuals
declaring assets by March 31, 2020
* 40 percent tax on individuals
declaring assets by June 30, 2020
* Recommendation for investment in Pakis
tan Banao Certificates for those
declaring assets abroad
* Recommendation for tax amnesty scheme for real estate sector
* 1 percent tax on those
declaring property by June 30, 2019
* 2 percent tax on those
declaring property by September 30, 2019
* 4 percent tax on those
declaring property by December 31, 2019
* The scheme will also be appli
cable to benami accounts
* 3 percent tax on un
declared sales
* The scheme cannot be availe
d by individuals holding government positions after 2000
* The scheme will not be appli
cable on cases being heard in court.