Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired the weekly review meeting regarding the affairs of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
The Prime Minister directed the authorities to accelerate efforts to achieve the target of increasing the tax-to-GDP ratio to 11%. He also instructed FBR to further expand the tax net to meet revenue goals.
The Prime Minister appreciated FBR officials for significantly reducing customs clearance time through the use of modern technology and artificial intelligence. He further directed that the duration of customs clearance for imports and exports should be reduced even more.
To enhance government revenues, the Prime Minister emphasized ensuring tax enforcement across all sectors of the economy.
He praised FBR and law-enforcement agencies for their effective action against illegal cigarette manufacturing factories. The Prime Minister also instructed provincial governments to continue extending full cooperation to FBR in actions against tax evaders and illegal factories.
The Prime Minister ordered timely payment of sales tax refunds.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister was briefed on progress regarding revenue targets, the digitization of the economy, and measures to curb tax evasion.
Officials informed the Prime Minister that several focal persons have been appointed nationwide by FBR and provincial Excise & Taxation Departments to bring the tobacco sector into the tax net. They also reported that, through recent effective operations, a large number of illegal cigarettes have been seized.
The Prime Minister was further briefed on pending tax cases in tribunals and various institutions.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervez Malik, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, the Attorney General for Pakistan, the FBR Chairman, and senior officials from relevant departments.
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