The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is focusing on recovering taxes from over 1 crore registered taxpayers who have failed to file returns or pay taxes, according to a statement following the NBR’s revenue review meeting on July 14, 2025.
NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan outlined the board’s priority of targeting these non-filers as part of its strategy to improve tax compliance and increase revenue collection in the current fiscal year.
During the meeting, held at the NBR conference room, the chairman urged officials to prioritise the collection of taxes from this large group of registered taxpayers.
Despite being registered under the tax net, many individuals and businesses have yet to submit their tax returns or pay the taxes owed.
According to NBR officials, these non-filers contribute significantly to the existing revenue gap.
“Tax compliance is crucial for meeting our revenue targets. We must address the issue of non-filers who are already registered but have not filed their returns or paid taxes,” Abdur Rahman Khan said in his opening remarks.
The chairman emphasised that identifying and ensuring the fulfillment of tax obligations by these non-filers is essential to bridging the revenue deficit.
NBR data shows that 72 lakh taxpayers have registered for a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) but have not filed returns.
Additionally, around 30 lakh taxpayers who have filed returns still have not paid taxes.
This makes up a substantial portion of the 1 crore individuals the NBR is focusing on for tax recovery.
The NBR has set an ambitious target to recover taxes from these one crore taxpayers to strengthen the country’s fiscal position.
“We must focus on this group of non-filers and ensure compliance with tax regulations. Our goal is to widen the tax base and improve revenue collection from those who have the ability to pay,” Khan explained.
The meeting also discussed the NBR’s failure to meet its income tax revenue targets in the previous fiscal year.
The chairman noted that the percentage of income tax revenue in the total revenue collection had decreased slightly compared to the previous year.
Despite the challenges, Khan assured that the NBR is committed to improving the efficiency of tax collection and ensuring a fair and equitable tax system.
To achieve this, he emphasized that NBR officials should identify new taxpayers through surveys and spot assessments, while intensifying efforts to secure revenue from existing taxpayers, particularly those who have not filed returns.
This process will be a top priority for the NBR in the coming months.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment from all stakeholders to focus on increasing tax compliance and reducing evasion.
The NBR also assured that additional measures would be implemented to support tax officers in identifying non-filers and ensuring that the tax system operates efficiently.
Furthermore, the meeting highlighted the importance of timely tax return filing and payment, with specific directives to accelerate efforts to collect dues from non-filers and address issues within the tax system.