PM directs FBR to strengthen engagement with Karachi business community

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed senior Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials to make monthly visits to Karachi to strengthen engagement with the business community and ensure the prompt resolution of tax-related issues.

Chairing a review meeting on FBR reforms, the prime minister directed the federal tax collecting body to cooperate with the business community and resolve its issues on a priority basis.

“Senior officers of FBR should visit Karachi in the first week of every month so that there is direct contact with the business community and their issues are resolved without delay,” he said, adding that companies complying with tax laws should be encouraged at the official level and their services acknowledged.

Terming the business community as the “backbone of the country’s economy”, PM Shehbaz directed the authorities to provide all possible facilities to promote higher production and exports.

“The government aims to create ease of doing business, promote investment and exports, and make the tax system more transparent and simple so that the confidence of the business community increases,” he said.

The prime minister said Pakistan’s economy was on the path to stability, adding that the current year would be marked by economic growth and increased business activity.

The meeting was briefed on the FBR’s performance and the implementation of ongoing reforms. Participants were informed that production monitoring systems had been installed in the tiles and fertiliser industries, while installation was underway in the textile and beverage sectors.

Officials said production monitoring had enabled the FBR to collect an additional Rs42 billion in taxes from the sugar industry and Rs38 billion from the cement industry over the past year. The beverages industry also contributed an additional Rs15 billion in tax revenue through the monitoring system.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecom Shiza Fatima, Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar, Governor State Bank of Pakistan Jamil Ahmed and relevant senior government officials.