PTBP Web Desk
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has formally reconstituted the Single Portal Committee, a joint platform of federal and provincial tax authorities designed to streamline the filing of sales tax returns across Pakistan. According to a notification issued on Thursday, the committee has been formed in line with decisions taken during a recent Tax Round Table Meeting, which included participation from FBR and all four Provincial Revenue Authorities.
This reconstituted committee aims to finally operationalize Pakistan’s long-awaited Single Portal System, a unified platform where taxpayers can file sales tax returns without navigating multiple provincial portals. The move is expected to enhance tax compliance, reduce bureaucratic overlap, and establish consistency between federal and provincial tax regimes.
The notification outlines the new structure of the committee. From the Federal Board of Revenue, two senior Inland Revenue officers—Aamer Amin Bhatti (IRS-BS20) and Zainul Abidin Sahi (IRS-BS20)—will serve as FBR representatives.
From the Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA), Salman Zafar, Director IT, has been appointed as the provincial member. The Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) will be represented by Abdul Hameed Memon, Senior Member (Operations-I), who previously served as a senior Inland Revenue official at FBR Headquarters.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority (KPRA) has nominated Abdur Raziq, Additional Collector, KPRA, as its representative. Meanwhile, from the Balochistan Revenue Authority (BRA), two members—Etheshamul Haq (Member Ops II) and Fahad Shabir (Commissioner Ops II)—will take part in the committee’s activities.
This diverse representation ensures that all provinces participate equally in the decision-making process surrounding the single return system.
Under the Terms of Reference, the committee will oversee every aspect of the rollout, implementation, and continuous improvement of the Single Portal for Sales Tax Returns. The committee’s primary responsibility is to evaluate readiness, ensure technical compatibility, and identify operational needs across all federal and provincial platforms.
1. System Readiness and Operational Planning
The committee will discuss whether the authorities are prepared for a unified system. This includes:
- Ensuring technological compatibility
- Improving inter-agency coordination
- Identifying capacity-building needs
- Setting operational standards
The committee may also consult or co-opt experts from the FBR, Provincial Revenue Authorities, PRAL (Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited), or other relevant stakeholders.
One of the biggest challenges in Pakistan’s tax structure is the overlap between federal and provincial jurisdictions. A single taxpayer may have to file returns in more than one province, especially in sectors such as telecom, services, and logistics.
To address this, committee members will decide key procedural matters regarding joint return filing, such as:
- Amendments or changes to the return form
- Procedural rules and calculation checks implemented via PRAL
- Enforcement mechanisms for non-filers
- Extension of return deadlines
- Revision of previously submitted returns
These decisions will help establish uniform processes nationwide.
The committee will provide guidelines for:
- PRAL’s software development
- Design of common annexures for all provinces
- Jurisdiction-specific annexures where needed
- Streamlined interface for taxpayer ease
This step is crucial, as a unified portal requires both standardization and flexibility.
For the portal to function effectively, certain legal provisions may need to be updated. The committee will recommend:
- Amendments to tax laws
- Revision in rules
- Notification of a standard return format
- Uniform due dates for filing returns across all tax authorities
These changes would ensure the portal is legally valid and enforceable.
With multiple authorities sharing sensitive taxpayer data, the committee must establish a robust data privacy and security framework. This includes:
- Defining ownership of data
- Determining who manages the portal
- Ensuring encrypted data-sharing
- Establishing protocols to protect taxpayer information
Data protection is especially critical given recent global concerns about cybersecurity in the financial sector.
Members of the committee will receive technical and administrative support from the Pakistan Raises Revenue (PRR) Programme Office, housed at FBR Headquarters in Islamabad. The office will coordinate communication between authorities, convene meetings, and oversee the timely execution of the project.
