It calls for ensuring effective tax enforcement across all government sectors and ensuring timely release of tax refunds.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a weekly review meeting on FBR related matters at the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad on Thursday, December 11, 2025. Photo: PID
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to widen the tax net and intensify efforts to raise Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio to 11 percent to achieve tax revenue targets.
He issued the directions while chairing a weekly high-level review meeting on FBR matters, where officials briefed him on revenue targets, digitization initiatives and measures aimed at curbing tax evasion.
The prime minister also called for ensuring effective tax enforcement across all government sectors and ensuring timely release of sales tax refunds.
Read: Sindh moves forward to digitize food authority after launch of e-challan
Chief Minister Shehbaz praised the FBR for reducing customs clearance times through the use of modern technology and artificial intelligence, and directed the department to further expedite clearance of imports and exports.
He also commended the FBR and law enforcement agencies for taking action against factories involved in illegal cigarette production, and urged the provincial governments to maintain full cooperation.
The officials informed the meeting that focal persons of the FBR and Excise and Tax Departments have been deployed across the country to bring the entire tobacco sector into the tax net, adding that a considerable quantity of illegal cigarettes had been seized in recent operations.
The meeting also reviewed the status of tax-related cases pending before various courts and institutions.
On the other hand, the Prime Minister met the WAPDA chairman, who briefed him about the development projects under the supervision of the authority. The discussion covered progress in improving water storage capacity and other administrative and technical matters, and Sharif reported on ongoing efforts to protect and expand the country’s water resources.
