In a key development towards the government’s reform agenda, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed authorities to hire globally renowned firms for third-party validation of ongoing reforms at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
This directive was issued during a meeting chaired by the prime minister to review FBR’s reforms, read a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The premier reiterated that the government remains committed to making the country a stable economy through sustainable reforms in national institutions.
“Institutional reforms are progressing rapidly across all sectors,” the PM was quoted as saying.
“The recent positive economic indicators are clear evidence of the correct direction of government policies,” he added.
PM Shehbaz orders crackdown on tax evasion, under-invoicing
During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed on the performance of the Faceless Customs Assessment System and the progress of reforms at Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL).
PM Shehbaz expressed satisfaction over the recent performance of the Faceless Customs Assessment System. “Reforms such as the Faceless Customs Assessment System, introduced to maintain transparency, are yielding encouraging results,” he said.
The meeting was told that the implementation of the Faceless Customs Assessment System has led to an overall increase in revenue and a significant reduction in customs clearance time.
The PM was briefed that a simplified digital tax return system for general taxpayers will be launched soon.
“Work is actively underway to introduce the digital tax return system in Urdu and other local languages for the convenience of general taxpayers,” read the PMO statement.
Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Chairman FBR, and senior officials from relevant institutions attended the meeting.
American Dollar Exchange Rate