Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed on Thursday his commitment to rooting out tax evasion in Pakistan, stating that no effort will be spared in this endeavour.
The premier's remarks came during a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister's House focused on tax reforms, economic digitization, and revenue enhancement strategies.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Sharif underscored the pivotal role of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in the nation's economy. He pledged to provide the FBR with all necessary resources to bolster human resource development and advance digitisation efforts.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to widen the tax net, particularly targeting the elite to ensure they pay their fair share. He highlighted that the recent budget imposes minimal taxes on the middle and lower classes, aiming instead to increase the tax burden on wealthier segments of society.
"Reducing the tax ratio while expanding the tax base remains a top priority for the government," stated the Prime Minister. He outlined plans for the comprehensive digitization of the tax system, aimed at enhancing workforce efficiency and streamlining tax collection processes.
Sharif also called for immediate action to document the economy and boost tax revenues through digital means. He directed authorities to take swift measures to incorporate more individuals into the tax net.
During the meeting, international firms McKinsey and Karandaz briefed the premier on recent advancements in revenue enhancement and the FBR's digitization over the past four weeks. Short and medium-term plans for increasing tax revenues were also presented.
It was highlighted that implementing existing policies fully could potentially increase the nation's tax revenue by billions of rupees. The digitization and automation of the economic value chain are expected to not only boost revenue but also ensure proper documentation of economic activities.
In a separate development, Prime Minister Sharif instructed federal secretaries and department heads to personally engage with the Task Management System, a state-of-the-art software for monitoring the progress of directives issued by the Prime Minister to federal ministries.
Chairing a meeting to assess the Task Management System's implementation, the Prime Minister announced daily reviews of the system's use to ensure the timely completion of all projects. He emphasized that continuous monitoring is essential for progress.
The meeting was informed that a mobile application for the task management system has already been developed.
