PM chairs meeting on performance of FBR

ISLAMABAD: On his return from Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Saturday chaired a meeting on the performance of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

He appreciated the ministers and officers on the recent recovery of Rs 34.5 billion by FBR.

He especially commended Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Ullah Tarar, Advisor to Prime Minister Syed Tauqir Shah, Attorney General Mansoor Awan, Secretary Finance Imdad Ullah Bosal, Secretary Information Ambreen Jan, Chairman FBR Arshad Mehmood Langrial, Director General Intelligence Bureau Fawad Asadullah Khan, Director General FIA Jan Muhammad and officers concerned on the steps taken for this historic recovery.

He said, he and the whole nation were thankful to them for attaining benefit of Rs 34.5 billion for the national exchequer.

The recovery of the amount within 24 hours after the decision was commendable, he said adding these best results show that if there was hard work and dedication then success was attainable.

He said it was a historic achievement which was only made possible because of a hard-working team.

The recovery of Rs 34.5 billion was a good beginning and this was just start of the journey, he added.

“We have to form a sustainable system on a permanent basis,” he said adding, “We have to resolve decades of problems by working together.”

While appreciating the chairman FBR, he said a comprehensive legal structure should be formed for the recoveries of FBR on permanent basis.

He directed that a plan should be presented to ensure reforms of FBR and implementation of tax laws.

The prime minister said a plan should also be prepared for the betterment of manpower of FBR.

The system could be improved with 100 percent digitalization, third-party validation and continuous monitoring, he told.

He said full action should be initiated against those officers and personnel who were involved in any kind of misappropriation.

Encouragement of officers and personnel who performed well should be ensured, he continued.

He said, “If we have to change the destiny of Pakistan then we have to bring change in the system on a permanent basis.”

“We will make all efforts to save every penny of the people,” he remarked.

During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed on the pending cases in courts regarding taxes and the steps taken by the government team for the recovery of money through these cases.

Chairman FBR informed the prime minister about the reforms of FBR’s Directorate of Law, a digital algorithm for tax assessment, performance of tax officers and FBR’s overall reforms.