Altaf Hamid Rao
Collects Rs. 7570 million with huge surplus money against the set target of Rs. 6560 Million
MIRPUR (AJK):(Parliament Times) Azad Jammu Kashmir achieved major breakthrough in the tax-realization history of the State after the State Department of Income Tax and Inland Revenue successfully achieved the target of the income tax collection during the first two quarters of current fiscal year, official sources said.
When contacted, the AJK Commissioner Income Tax and Inland Revenue Sardar Zaffar Mahmood Khan told this Correspondent here on Thursday that the department successfully achieved the target by securing the revenue of Rs. 7570 million against the given budgetary target of Rs. 6560 Million. “The above achievement of the income tax realization target with surplus amount is the ample proof of an unprecedented and record increase”, according to an investigation conducted by this scribe. It indicates that there is an increase of more than Rs 1010 million in given budgetary targets. It would be worthwhile to mention here that the total Revenue collection during first two quarters of preceding financial year 2017-18 was equal to Rs. 6454 Million.
It means that there is an increase of rupees 1016 Mllion during current financial year as compared to collection during first two quarters of previous financial year. It is worth mentioning that the major contribution in previous fiscal year was from withholding taxes deposited by contractors engaged in Neelam Jehlum Hydel project.
However, despite completion of this project, which resulted in in sharp decline in withholding taxes from it, along with reduction in tax rates in case of Salary and Business Individuals, the Income Tax collection has witnessed a significant increase”, the investigations said.
Responding to a question, Sardar Zafar Mahmood Khan Commissioner Income Tax Inland Revenue said that due to continuous support of the Incharge Secretary Finance of AJK government and the trust reposed by the Prime Minister of AJK Raja Farooq Haider Khan there had been record income tax collection up to first two quarters of current financial year. He was of the view that the officers and Staff worked dedicatedly served to translate the task of surpassing given budgetary targets in to reality.
It may be added that the Department of Inland Revenue was transferred from the AJK Council to AJK government after the arrival of 13th amendment in the interim constitution of Azad Jammu Kashmir and upon the special directives of Prime Minister AJK the Services of Sardar Zafar Mahmood Khan were summoned back to his parent department of Income Tax and Inland Revenue of AJK from the Federal Board of Revenue where he successfully served as Commissioner on deputation for about a decade.
It may be recalled that Senior most officer of the Income Tax group of Azad Jammu Kashmir Sardar Zaffar Mahmood Khan had started performing his duties after assuming the charge of the office of Commissioner Inland Revenue (Provincial Taxes), AJK in after he was transferred back to his parent department of AJK Income Tax and Inland Revenue in September last year.He performed Commissioner Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in Islamabad on deputation for about 10 years before his recent transfer to his parent Inland Revenue Department and posting as Commissioner Inland Revenue (Provincial Taxes), AJK. Sardar zafar Mahmud Khan had joined Income Tax department of AJK after qualifying CSS exam in 1996. He served on various important positions in Ajk tax department. On the basis of his achievements and considering his professional profile, his services were requisitioned by F.B.R in 2010. He served as Additional Commissioner Inland Revenue Rawalpindi and Islamabad, where he not only achieved given budgetary targets rather surpassed them with significant increase.
On the basis of this meritorious performance and keeping in view his professional qualifications, he was posted as Commissioner Inland Revenue Hazara Divsion in 2016, where he gave 35% increase in given budgetary targets, which was highest in Pakistan during that financial year. Resultantly, he was posted as Commissioner Inland Revenue Islamabad, where his performance was significant and noteworthy. When 13th amendment in Act. 1974, the Interim Constitution of AJK, was passed by AJK Legislative Assembly, he was recalled by Prime Minister of AJK and posted as Commissioner Inland Revenue (Provincial Taxes), Azad Jammu Kashmir.
As far as his educational qualifications are concerned, he holds Master degree in Physics and is a law graduate as well. On a scholarship awarded by world bank, he obtained degree of L.L.M International Taxation Law from University of Leiden, Netherlands in 2008. He also has various computer and professional certificates in his credit.
He has also attended various international and national workshops, seminars and short courses related to his profession. He has vast experience of conducting and supervising tax audit. He has also pleaded and defended tax cases before High Courts and Appellate Tribunal.
