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- دنیا کامران خان کے ساتھ NON RESIDENT PAKISTANIS NEED NO FILING RETURNS AND NICOPs
Mr. Kamran Khan, February 09, 2021
Anchor & Journalist,
Dunya News TV,
Lahore.
Dear Sir,
On the recent UAE offer of nationality to high profile professionals, intellectuals and investors, fearing it could tempt more outflow from Pakistan and its effects thereof, in your talk show February 01 “Dunya Kamran Khan kay sath” you sad that non resident Pakistanis are not required to file tax returns.
2. According to a 2019 twitter entry the Federal Tax Ombudsman “launched” a probe on unlawful compulsion on Non Resident Pakistanis for filing income tax returns. In simple words and in layman understanding the Federal Tax Ombudsman took a suo moto. I approached the FTO on this with the request that a copy of his Final Decision, as and when issued, may please be provided to this long time non resident Pakistani.
3. My request which under universal administrative principles was to be met (or declined) only and ONLY by the Federal Tax Ombudsman as he himself took suo moto and was to issue his mind on the issue, ما شاء الله / سبحان الله was forwarded to the same very FBR against which the FTO himself ordered probe and which FBR according to the most senior journalist Haroon Rasheed is a crimes “کا اڈہ”. It reminded me a Brigadier posted in the Martial Law Headquarters. President General Zia during an inspection visit came to his desk and enquired what he does? The Brigadier replied “nothing; except for receiving complaints and forwarding those to same very persons/concerns for their final action/disposal against whom those complaints were”. I have read a phrase “Catch-22”. The practical example of it I saw when the FBR responded me that Non Residents were required to file Returns. Where went the Tax Ombudsman’s probe, interpretation, decision?
4. Dear Anchor, it is not the sole single example of its kind. We are ما شاء الله / سبحان الله in this aspect self-sufficient. Government controlled news agency APP mid 2019 circulated a news item that the Government had abolished the requirement of National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) quoting SAPM to PM Mr. Zulfi Bukhari that “now the Overseas Pakistanis can travel to Pakistan without a visa”. Very next day Geo TV quoted Mr. Pervaiz Ahmed Junego, Secretary Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis explaining and clarifying that the “requirement of NICOP had not been ended across the board and that there was some misconception about this”. Since the word “across the board” has become a fashion today both amongst our bureaucrats and functionaries, it created a lot of confusion, worries and stress amongst the Overseas Pakistanis community.
5. Since I am well aware of how the Overseas Pakistanis under different pretext of rules are “harassed” at our airports on arrival from abroad or on departure, I enquired from the Ministry the following two;
a) Does the Pakistanis working or living abroad eg my wife or child now need no renewal of their expiring NICOPs as same stands abolished
b) Pakistani origins travelling on any other foreign passport would now without production of a valid NICOP be able to enter/exit Pakistan for short stays without visas and they would continue hold and renews NICOPs.
6. Dear Anchor, Overseas Pakistanis specifically semi-illiterate on
return/departure at our airports since decade are “monetarily” harassed under different labels. This is not just fiction but true facts. As a conscientious citizen, in good times when there existed some real Governments in our beloved country, I got refunded to them the money taken at airports from our innocent labourers say like from Immigration FIA. Hence naturally the above confusion created a lot of worries in my mind. A few years back Pakistan Embassy Bahrain through a letter directed FIA Immigration to ban entry into Pakistan on strength of a NICOP to Pakistanis holding Bahraini passports. It opened a floodgate of pick-pocketing of OPs landing at Pakistani airports from Bahrain and those having already gone to Pakistan and returning back to Bahrain. The community agitated when a general gathering of the community was called in Pakistan Embassy. First of all the Counsellor Community Welfare of the Embassy in presence of H.E the Ambassador explained that the Pakistan Government had ordered it. It was not digestible. If the Government of Pakistan disliked Pakistanis in Bahrain or the Kingdom of Bahrain, imposing this ban leaving Pakistanis living elsewhere like in Saudi Arabia, UK or Nepal was a constitutional discriminatory. A Pakistani at this stage stood up and produced a copy of a letter from the Embassy directing FIA Immigration above ban. The Ambassador forthwith denied he had any knowledge of this letter. The Counsellor Community Welfare who a few minutes earlier was fooling the audience that the Government of Pakistan did it, felt no shame saying this time that some his junior staff in amongst a bunch of documents to be signed got it signed from him inadvertently. The Embassy withdrew the letter but in the meantime many families had been looted at our airports due to said illegal banning letter. Since 15-20 years there appears to be no government (writ) in our beloved homeland, everyone worth of his salt is above law. A Counsellor Community Welfare is a very small fly in the bureaucratic-net having no authority whatsoever (even an Embassy) to issue orders as above as it is domain of the Federal Government, but knowing well there was no government to question him he did it to benefit some!!!
7. I requested Secretary and Focal Person, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis for a clarification and true position. No response was received. Mr. Justice Sardar Muhammad Iqbal, the then first Ombudsman Pakistan, according to the most serious English daily remaining unmatched for and the Chief Justice SHC jointly termed non response by functionaries a mother act of mal administration. I raised this non response by the Secretary Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis as a formal complaint before the Federal Ombudsman. Late Hafeezur Rehman, ex DG of Federal Ombudsman publically long ago had said that officials of the Ombudsman Secretariat had changed their sympathies from the aggrieved ordinary complainants towards their counterpart bureaucrats in Divisions. Proving worth of late’s words and the bold honest words of Brigadier in Martial Law Office, rather than feeling how two contradicting statements could cause stress to Overseas Pakistanis, and taking note of the situation and issuing a final decision after hearing both sides including taking note of non response, in the words of Martial Law Brigadier it was forwarded to the same very Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis for his disposal. Under the label of Overseas Pakistanis, a high salaried “Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis” is employed in the Federal Ombudsman Office. Two different contradicting to each other policy statements by two high profiles from the same very single Ministry naturally causing anguish, concern ad confusion opening doors for corruption did not “fit” for hearing for the high profiled Commissioner. Wording of late Asghar Khan, naturally, flashed in the mind of this old man viz “there is an army in the Federal Ombudsman office either nothing or very little to do”. Seeing the attitude of the Federal Ombudsman towards a very genuine concern raised by an Overseas Pakistani, the Secretary too showing his might did not care to attend to the country’s Ombudsman letter.
8. Dear Anchor, the truth is no institution, no functionary or authority has any real interest with the “ordinary” Overseas Pakistanis except for occasional repeat loud lip service. Take for example, PM Imran Khan who came into power singing a song for Overseas Pakistanis, thrice had opened his mouth announcing better incentives for Overseas Pakistanis. The first one was when October 2018 he met with senior Editors. Next day newspapers front pages read that incentives for Overseas Pakistanis had been increased. If you go through details that increase was for the Banks and their agents who arrange transfer of my remittances and not a single Rupee incentive for me the real Overseas Pakistani who monthly remit home money. Dear Anchor would you believe that while world over governments ensured safety of the citizens by forcefully restricting their movements within four walls of homes due to Covid-19, the Federal Ombudsman also employing Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis summoned my senior citizen wife to Pakistan for a hearing on 3rd, 10th and 17 March 2020 when not just Karachi airport was closed but there were no international commercial flights world over except for Fawad Choudhary’s Rs. 55 per mile helicopter.
Regards,
Yours respectfully,
Muhammad Javed
Kingdom of Bahrain
Mr. Kamran Khan, February 09, 2021
Anchor & Journalist,
Dunya News TV,
Lahore.
Dear Sir,
On the recent UAE offer of nationality to high profile professionals, intellectuals and investors, fearing it could tempt more outflow from Pakistan and its effects thereof, in your talk show February 01 “Dunya Kamran Khan kay sath” you sad that non resident Pakistanis are not required to file tax returns.
2. According to a 2019 twitter entry the Federal Tax Ombudsman “launched” a probe on unlawful compulsion on Non Resident Pakistanis for filing income tax returns. In simple words and in layman understanding the Federal Tax Ombudsman took a suo moto. I approached the FTO on this with the request that a copy of his Final Decision, as and when issued, may please be provided to this long time non resident Pakistani.
3. My request which under universal administrative principles was to be met (or declined) only and ONLY by the Federal Tax Ombudsman as he himself took suo moto and was to issue his mind on the issue, ما شاء الله / سبحان الله was forwarded to the same very FBR against which the FTO himself ordered probe and which FBR according to the most senior journalist Haroon Rasheed is a crimes “کا اڈہ”. It reminded me a Brigadier posted in the Martial Law Headquarters. President General Zia during an inspection visit came to his desk and enquired what he does? The Brigadier replied “nothing; except for receiving complaints and forwarding those to same very persons/concerns for their final action/disposal against whom those complaints were”. I have read a phrase “Catch-22”. The practical example of it I saw when the FBR responded me that Non Residents were required to file Returns. Where went the Tax Ombudsman’s probe, interpretation, decision?
4. Dear Anchor, it is not the sole single example of its kind. We are ما شاء الله / سبحان الله in this aspect self-sufficient. Government controlled news agency APP mid 2019 circulated a news item that the Government had abolished the requirement of National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) quoting SAPM to PM Mr. Zulfi Bukhari that “now the Overseas Pakistanis can travel to Pakistan without a visa”. Very next day Geo TV quoted Mr. Pervaiz Ahmed Junego, Secretary Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis explaining and clarifying that the “requirement of NICOP had not been ended across the board and that there was some misconception about this”. Since the word “across the board” has become a fashion today both amongst our bureaucrats and functionaries, it created a lot of confusion, worries and stress amongst the Overseas Pakistanis community.
5. Since I am well aware of how the Overseas Pakistanis under different pretext of rules are “harassed” at our airports on arrival from abroad or on departure, I enquired from the Ministry the following two;
a) Does the Pakistanis working or living abroad eg my wife or child now need no renewal of their expiring NICOPs as same stands abolished
b) Pakistani origins travelling on any other foreign passport would now without production of a valid NICOP be able to enter/exit Pakistan for short stays without visas and they would continue hold and renews NICOPs.
6. Dear Anchor, Overseas Pakistanis specifically semi-illiterate on
return/departure at our airports since decade are “monetarily” harassed under different labels. This is not just fiction but true facts. As a conscientious citizen, in good times when there existed some real Governments in our beloved country, I got refunded to them the money taken at airports from our innocent labourers say like from Immigration FIA. Hence naturally the above confusion created a lot of worries in my mind. A few years back Pakistan Embassy Bahrain through a letter directed FIA Immigration to ban entry into Pakistan on strength of a NICOP to Pakistanis holding Bahraini passports. It opened a floodgate of pick-pocketing of OPs landing at Pakistani airports from Bahrain and those having already gone to Pakistan and returning back to Bahrain. The community agitated when a general gathering of the community was called in Pakistan Embassy. First of all the Counsellor Community Welfare of the Embassy in presence of H.E the Ambassador explained that the Pakistan Government had ordered it. It was not digestible. If the Government of Pakistan disliked Pakistanis in Bahrain or the Kingdom of Bahrain, imposing this ban leaving Pakistanis living elsewhere like in Saudi Arabia, UK or Nepal was a constitutional discriminatory. A Pakistani at this stage stood up and produced a copy of a letter from the Embassy directing FIA Immigration above ban. The Ambassador forthwith denied he had any knowledge of this letter. The Counsellor Community Welfare who a few minutes earlier was fooling the audience that the Government of Pakistan did it, felt no shame saying this time that some his junior staff in amongst a bunch of documents to be signed got it signed from him inadvertently. The Embassy withdrew the letter but in the meantime many families had been looted at our airports due to said illegal banning letter. Since 15-20 years there appears to be no government (writ) in our beloved homeland, everyone worth of his salt is above law. A Counsellor Community Welfare is a very small fly in the bureaucratic-net having no authority whatsoever (even an Embassy) to issue orders as above as it is domain of the Federal Government, but knowing well there was no government to question him he did it to benefit some!!!
7. I requested Secretary and Focal Person, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis for a clarification and true position. No response was received. Mr. Justice Sardar Muhammad Iqbal, the then first Ombudsman Pakistan, according to the most serious English daily remaining unmatched for and the Chief Justice SHC jointly termed non response by functionaries a mother act of mal administration. I raised this non response by the Secretary Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis as a formal complaint before the Federal Ombudsman. Late Hafeezur Rehman, ex DG of Federal Ombudsman publically long ago had said that officials of the Ombudsman Secretariat had changed their sympathies from the aggrieved ordinary complainants towards their counterpart bureaucrats in Divisions. Proving worth of late’s words and the bold honest words of Brigadier in Martial Law Office, rather than feeling how two contradicting statements could cause stress to Overseas Pakistanis, and taking note of the situation and issuing a final decision after hearing both sides including taking note of non response, in the words of Martial Law Brigadier it was forwarded to the same very Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis for his disposal. Under the label of Overseas Pakistanis, a high salaried “Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis” is employed in the Federal Ombudsman Office. Two different contradicting to each other policy statements by two high profiles from the same very single Ministry naturally causing anguish, concern ad confusion opening doors for corruption did not “fit” for hearing for the high profiled Commissioner. Wording of late Asghar Khan, naturally, flashed in the mind of this old man viz “there is an army in the Federal Ombudsman office either nothing or very little to do”. Seeing the attitude of the Federal Ombudsman towards a very genuine concern raised by an Overseas Pakistani, the Secretary too showing his might did not care to attend to the country’s Ombudsman letter.
8. Dear Anchor, the truth is no institution, no functionary or authority has any real interest with the “ordinary” Overseas Pakistanis except for occasional repeat loud lip service. Take for example, PM Imran Khan who came into power singing a song for Overseas Pakistanis, thrice had opened his mouth announcing better incentives for Overseas Pakistanis. The first one was when October 2018 he met with senior Editors. Next day newspapers front pages read that incentives for Overseas Pakistanis had been increased. If you go through details that increase was for the Banks and their agents who arrange transfer of my remittances and not a single Rupee incentive for me the real Overseas Pakistani who monthly remit home money. Dear Anchor would you believe that while world over governments ensured safety of the citizens by forcefully restricting their movements within four walls of homes due to Covid-19, the Federal Ombudsman also employing Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis summoned my senior citizen wife to Pakistan for a hearing on 3rd, 10th and 17 March 2020 when not just Karachi airport was closed but there were no international commercial flights world over except for Fawad Choudhary’s Rs. 55 per mile helicopter.
Regards,
Yours respectfully,
Muhammad Javed
Kingdom of Bahrain
