Islamabad: The second meeting of the Task Force on the Digitalization of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was convened today at FBR Headquarters, led by the Minister of State for Finance and Revenue, Mr. Ali Pervez Malik, and co-chaired by DG C41, Major General Syed Ali Raza. This meeting, a continuation of the task force’s efforts from last week, focused on presenting initial findings and setting the stage for comprehensive digital reforms within the FBR.

According to Federal Board of Revenue, the session highlighted the presentations of initial findings by the Conveners of the Working Groups, which were established to spearhead various aspects of the FBR’s digital transformation. Notable contributions included insights from Mr. Asif Peer on restructuring PRAL’s governance and technology frameworks, and Dr. Javed Ashraf’s strategies for enhancing data integration to identify potential taxpayers.

The meeting also addressed the development of systematic approaches to capture accurate trade data and improve tax collection efficiency through supply chain automation, emphasized by Mr. Ghazi Akhtar’s presentation on the Track and Trace System. Ms. Tania Aidrus discussed the challenges in the current customs system and proposed improvements for data sharing interfaces with trading partners.

State Minister Mr. Ali Pervez Malik commended the working groups for their robust analysis and practical recommendations, which aim to utilize existing data to expand the taxpayer base and increase revenue. He underscored the importance of integrating data visibility to foster transparency within the tax system.

Chairman FBR, Mr. Rashid Mahmood Langrial, articulated the need for PRAL to enhance its IT services to support FBR’s digital needs effectively. He also highlighted the necessity of cleansing retrieved data to ensure its accuracy and applicability in policy implementations.

The task force agreed to refine their findings and present finalized recommendations at their next meeting, which will subsequently be forwarded to the Prime Minister of Pakistan for approval and implementation. This initiative marks a significant move towards modernizing FBR’s operations and enhancing Pakistan’s fiscal governance through digital means.