Shouldn’t showbiz celebrities also pay their tax dues?

Most of our elitists and celebrities, unfortunately, consider it their birthright to enjoy, if possible exclusively, all the available resources and facilities in the country, but when it comes to paying back to the exchequer in terms taxes and levies, they scornfully shun the authorities and very often silence them by exercising their clouts in the ever strengthening VIP culture in the society, resulting in shifting the major burdens to the law abiding citizens only, while all those who could browbeat the law with their power and wealth get scot-free. This is for the first time that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has focused on potential area of showbiz industry, where film stars, drama artistes and theatre actors are earning huge profits, but paying nothing into the national exchequer. FBR has decided to approach Central Board of Film Censors, All Pakistan Association of Film-markers and television stations for bringing filmmakers, cinema owners, film stars/TV artistes and persons engaged in studio business into the income tax net. The aim of the exercise is to register all the potential persons engaged in the drama-making, studio business and theatres for filing of income tax returns and payment of due amount of taxes. This potential sector has been neglected in the past, which requires immediate attention to expand the tax-base. Priority in film industry would be given to film directors, film artistes, top models and cinema owners to bring them into the income tax net for compliance. The tax department would collect data about the drama-makers, artistes and theatres from provincial excise departments, TV stations and advertising agencies. According to the FBR plan to bring showbiz industry into the tax net, the Director Generals of Large Taxpayer Units (LTUs) and Regional Tax Offices (RTOs) would approach the Central Censor Board, provincial excise department, All Pakistan Association of Film-markers and analyse newspapers to register persons, who are associated with the film industry. The report said that the FBR would also check if the persons associated with the film and drama industry have obtained the National Tax Numbers (NTNs) and are filing income tax returns.We can only wait and see how professionally the FBR zealots conduct their new move and succeed without causing any harassment to the showbiz celebrities making them voluntarily agree to pay their due amount of taxes.