Islamabad, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has issued directives for the development of strategies aimed at reducing government expenditures and fundamentally restructuring the nation’s economy. These orders were given during a high-level meeting held at the Prime Minister House, emphasizing the urgency of initiating comprehensive digitization and automation of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), a process the Prime Minister vowed to personally oversee.
According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Shehbaz Sharif has advocated for the adoption of the world’s leading practices in the digitization of the FBR to enhance system transparency, boost tax collection, and combat tax evasion, corruption, and smuggling. This initiative is also expected to provide convenience to the general public and the business community, with a focus on encouraging large taxpayers and high-performing FBR officers, while ensuring accountability for those found guilty of misconduct.
During the meeting, FBR Chairman Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana presented an overview of the actions taken to increase tax collection, issue refunds to exporters, expand the tax net, and advance automation among other measures. Despite these efforts, the Prime Minister expressed dissatisfaction, reinforcing the need for immediate action towards achieving full digitization and automation of the FBR, aligning with international standards.
The Prime Minister highlighted the critical challenge of navigating the country away from its debt predicament and announced incentives for efficient, honest, and professional officers within the FBR. He stressed the importance of appointing capable officers to implement the track and trace system effectively. Furthermore, Shehbaz Sharif revealed that the Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with the Pakistan Army, would intensify efforts to curb smuggling.
In his closing remarks, the Prime Minister acknowledged the contributions of former caretaker finance minister Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, secretary finance Imdad Ullah Bosal, and their team for building on the foundation laid by his government to prevent Pakistan from defaulting. This team’s efforts were praised for significant progress in stabilizing the nation’s financial situation.