The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has taken a significant step towards implementing International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions by approving the blocking of mobile phone SIM cards belonging to 1.8 million non-filers across Pakistan.
According to sources, the decision was greenlit by the chairman of FBR as a significant move in the government's efforts to bolster tax compliance and revenue generation before the next IMF loan programme. The FBR has compiled lists of non-filers as well as the relevant rules, and forwarded them to the relevant authorities for action.
Field formations have been instructed to compile data of non-filers from the year 2023, with chief commissioners tasked with finalizing the lists and forwarding them to the FBR.
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Additionally, the FBR has been granted powers to disconnect the electricity connections of non-filers, further reinforcing its authority in ensuring tax compliance.
This operation was initially slated to commence in January 2024 but has now been postponed until after Eid. It is anticipated that the initiative will play a pivotal role in enhancing tax revenue and aligning with IMF conditions, thereby strengthening Pakistan's economic framework.
With 145 district tax officers empowered with special authorities, the FBR is poised to implement this initiative effectively nationwide.
On Thursday, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said Pakistan is in discussions with the International Monetary Fund on a potential follow-up program to its nine-month, $3 billion stand-by arrangement.
Georgieva told an event at the Atlantic Council think tank that Pakistan was successfully completing its existing program with the IMF and its economy was performing somewhat better, with reserves now being built up.
"There is a commitment to continue on this path, and the country is turning to the fund for potentially having a follow-up program," Georgieva said, flagging issues that the struggling South Asian nation still needed to address.
