Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif poses for a group photograph with a delegation of FBR officers in Islamabad. PHOTO: APP
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday praised top officials of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for surpassing the historic revenue collection target of Rs 12,957 trillion during the last fiscal year, describing the achievement as a major milestone in Pakistan’s economic trajectory and the result of sustained reforms, digitalization and institutional teamwork.
Chairing a meeting with senior FBR officials at the Prime Minister’s Office, the Prime Minister congratulated the officials individually and the entire FBR workforce collectively for achieving the record revenue target for the fiscal year 2025-26, a press release said.
The prime minister said the timely disbursement of nearly Rs 600 billion in tax refunds during the fiscal year had provided much-needed relief to the business community while supporting export growth. He expressed confidence that the field formations and FBR officers would maintain the same level of commitment to achieve the government’s revenue target of over Rs 15 trillion during the current fiscal year.
The prime minister also praised Deputy Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Attorney General Mansoor Awan, FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial, Finance Secretary Imdad Ullah Bosal, members of the government’s economic team and FBR officials for their role in the institution’s improved performance.
He paid tribute to Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and law enforcement agencies for their efforts in curbing smuggling and ensuring safety of FBR personnel. The Prime Minister also praised officers serving in remote areas and acknowledged their dedication and sacrifices in enforcing tax and customs laws.
Highlighting the government’s reform agenda, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the FBR’s record revenue collection was made possible by reforms initiated over the last two and a half years, with a strong focus on digitalisation, transparency and teamwork. He noted that he personally chaired review meetings on the performance of the RBAs twice a month, underlining that institutional reforms remained among the government’s top priorities.
The prime minister said reputable officers had been posted in FBR field formations to strengthen integrity within the organisation, and reiterated that there was no place for corrupt elements in the tax authority.
He directed FBR officials to prioritize taxpayer facilitation along with revenue collection, and emphasized that broadening the tax base, improving transparency and improving taxpayer services remained core objectives of the reform programme.
The Prime Minister further announced that the new operating model of the FBR would be based on a digital and faceless tax administration system with minimal human intervention. He also ordered the formation of a high-level committee to recommend measures to improve the career progression and service structure of officials belonging to the Pakistan Customs Service and the Internal Revenue Service.
During the meeting, FBR officials thanked the prime minister for his continued focus on the institution and appreciation for its performance. The delegation also briefed him on the performance of field formations across the country.
According to the report, the Large Taxpayers Office in Karachi collected Rs 528 billion in revenue during June 2026, while the Large Taxpayers Office in Lahore generated Rs 261 billion during the same month. Officials also informed the meeting that customs duty collection at airports had increased by 21 percent over the past year.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, State Minister Bilal Azhar Kayani, Attorney General Mansoor Awan, FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial and other senior government officials.
