ISLAMABAD, July 15 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to provide all possible facilities to the business community, describing entrepreneurs and industrialists as the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and stressing the need to create a business-friendly environment to enhance production, investment and exports.
Chairing a meeting to review the affairs and performance of the FBR, the prime minister instructed the tax authority to maintain close coordination with the business community and resolve their legitimate concerns on a priority basis.
To strengthen engagement with the country’s commercial sector, he directed senior FBR officials to visit Karachi during the first week of every month to hold regular meetings with business representatives and ensure prompt resolution of their issues.
The prime minister expressed confidence that Pakistan’s economy had entered a phase of stability and said the current year would witness economic growth, increased business activity and improved investment prospects.
He said companies demonstrating consistent compliance with tax laws should be officially recognised and encouraged in acknowledgment of their contribution to the national economy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasised that the government’s priority was to improve the ease of doing business by simplifying the tax system, increasing transparency, promoting investment and exports, and strengthening the confidence of the business community.
The meeting was briefed on the FBR’s ongoing reform agenda and progress in implementing technology-driven tax administration measures.
Officials informed the meeting that production monitoring systems had been installed in the sugar, cement, tobacco, tiles and fertiliser sectors to improve tax compliance and enhance revenue collection. Similar monitoring systems are currently being introduced in the textile and beverages industries.
According to the briefing, production monitoring in the sugar sector generated an additional Rs42 billion in tax revenue during the past year, while the cement industry contributed an extra Rs38 billion through the same mechanism.
The meeting was further informed that production monitoring in the beverages sector resulted in an additional Rs15 billion in tax collection over the last year.
The prime minister reiterated the government’s commitment to broadening the tax base through reforms, improving governance and ensuring a transparent, efficient and investor-friendly taxation system that supports sustainable economic growth.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar, State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad and other senior government officials.
