Officials concerned said the service desks had been established in commiserate headquarters as well as divisional and circle offices. Each desk comprises two officials and an employee.

Initially such outlets will provide services on a particular weekday. The desk in commiserate headquarters will remain open for a full working day while elsewhere 9am-1pm.

Earlier the NBR had asked its offices to introduce the service desks as it found the taxpayers facing various problems regarding information and explanation on Vat rules.

"The Board also feels that the field-level offices should help the taxpayers and make them aware on taxes apart from conducting regular revenue-realisation activities," said the NBR.

It asked the offices to set up the service desks at a place close to the entrance of the offices so that the taxpayers can get help from it before getting into any other section.

The tasks of the desks will be explaining and clarifying the Vat law and different relevant rules, orders and circulars and supplying copies of such directives to the interested businesspeople.

If a taxpayer comes up with a specific problem, the concerned desk will register it and inform the concerned person about expected timeframe to resolve it, according to an NBR order.

Apart from the exclusive weekly day of functioning of the service desk, the edict of the government's revenue authority also clarified that the concerned offices would have regular activities on such problems facing the taxpayers.