E-invoicing system: PCDMA criticises FBR for ‘sudden’ rollout

KARACHI: The Chairman of Pakistan Chemicals & Dyes Merchants Association (PCDMA), Salim Valimuhammad, has strongly criticised the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for the sudden rollout of the e-invoicing system, calling it premature, impractical, and lacking essential groundwork.

Salim Valimuhammad said that the FBR has launched the e-invoicing system without conducting any prior training seminars, awareness campaigns, or stakeholder consultations. This, he argued, has left the business community confused and under additional pressure at a time when the country is already grappling with significant economic and environmental challenges.

“We are not against the idea of e-invoicing,” he clarified. “However, the manner in which it is being enforced shows little regard for the ground realities — including widespread flooding, electricity outages, and limited access to digital infrastructure.”

He urged the government to adopt a phased approach to the policy’s implementation, beginning with public limited and multinational companies before extending it to other sectors, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025