ISLAMABAD: The Regional Tax Office in Islamabad has sealed five notable restaurants for issuing counterfeit receipts and invoices. This decisive action follows complaints from consumers who reported the fraudulent activities.

According to Federal Board of Revenue, the crackdown is part of a broader initiative to integrate Tier-1 retailers and restaurants into the tax net via a Point of Sale (POS) invoicing system. The authenticity of the reported receipts was verified using POS tracking software, leading to the closure of the establishments by a team led by the Deputy Commissioner of RTO Islamabad. Additionally, penalties amounting to Rs.1.5 million were imposed on these restaurants.

The Federal Board of Revenue recently launched the Point of Sales Prize Scheme on October 25, initially targeting Tier-1 restaurants in Islamabad. The scheme incentivizes citizens to report fake receipts through the Tax Asaan app, offering cash rewards upon verification. The initiative will eventually expand to all Tier retailers nationwide by the end of the month. The measure is designed to combat the issuance of fake invoices and ensure proper tax collection for the national treasury.