Islamabad: Finance and Revenue Minister, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ongoing reforms in the taxation, energy, and state-owned enterprises sectors during a meeting with US Ambassador Donald Blome.
According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Minister Aurangzeb expressed the government’s determination to increase the tax to GDP ratio to 13.5 percent by addressing leaks and integrating untaxed sectors into the taxation system. He detailed a comprehensive transformation plan for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) that has been approved under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration.
The Minister described these macroeconomic reforms as a “work in progress,” highlighting additional challenges such as climate change and child stunting, which pose significant threats to economic growth and stability in Pakistan. He emphasized the importance of building climate resilience through adaptation reforms and combating malnutrition with the aid of technical and financial support from development partners to achieve comprehensive development goals.
US Ambassador Blome praised Pakistan’s efforts towards improving macroeconomic stability and commended the government for its bold reforms, particularly in the taxation and energy sectors. He reiterated the United States’ commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation on technical and developmental initiatives and promoting substantial US investment in Pakistan’s economic growth.