Details of 53m non-filers' assets, accounts put online.

Byline: Imran Ali Kundi

ISLAMABAD -- As part of efforts to broaden the tax base, the government is introducing an online portal that contains information on bank accounts, properties, utilities and travel history of 53 million citizens.

The information will not be public but accessible to the relevant non-filers exclusively. The move actually aims at persuading the non-filers to avail the Assets Declaration Scheme, by letting them know that much of their assets and transaction details are already in authorities' knowledge.

"The results of data integration exercise shall be made online today. Data is [in fact] spread over two portals; Nadra and FBR website... Anyone can access their own data to check their details," said Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar on his social media account.

Earlier, addressing a press conference, Hammad and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Shabbar Zaidi said that the portal will not allow anyone to have access on the data of any other person. The FBR and National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) have finalised the arrangements in this regard.

They informed that FBR is going to give online access to non-filer citizens to the information about all the assets in their name that are on FBR record. However, the information could only be accessed by the concerned persons by providing their user names/CNIC, etc.

Minister Hammad Azhar said that previous two governments had not worked for broadening of tax base of the country. However, the incumbent government is taking measures to bring non-taxpayers into tax net, he added.

FBR chairman said that Nadra would provide data regarding non-taxpayers while FBR would take action against them for collecting taxes.

He stated that...