Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the immediate implementation of the current reforms within the Federal Income Board (FBR), emphasizing the importance of digitalization and automation to review Pakistan’s fiscal system.
Presiding over a high -level review meeting, the prime minister highlighted the need to rectify what he described as “70 years of poor management” in the country’s tax framework.
Shehbaz promised the maximum facilitation for honest taxpayers and businesses, but promised a strict legal action against those involved in tax evasion, without concessions.
The meeting discussed the launch of a national orientation system designed to stop the evasion of sales tax. This system will use electronic labels and digital devices to trace the transport of goods, backed by an e-bille mechanism integrated into the FBR system.
Digital monitoring facilities are planned on key highways and the entrance points of the city to reduce smuggling and relieve travelers delays.
The authorities also informed the prime minister in a customs orientation system to automate import and export monitoring in ports and airports. This system will use artificial intelligence and will be linked to national and international databases to address smuggling and tax fraud.
The plans to train FBR staff in these new technologies, with a stage deployment to start a pilot project in an important city.
The key sectors such as cement, hatcheries, poultry feeding, tobacco and drinks will face a stricter surveillance of sales tax, expanding monitoring systems similar to those used in the sugar industry to tobacco sectors, drinks, steel and cement.
The prime minister emphasized that all measures are rapidly, efficiently and sustainable.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a high -level political committee to supervise the implementation of the National Fiscal Pact.
The Committee will also work to build a consensus on the exchange of debt burden between the Federation and the provinces, and will coordinate the development of the critical infrastructure of water in the midst of Indian aggression.
The Vice Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, of the president of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and the Party of the Peoples of Pakistan (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, will be the co-chants of the Committee of eight members, according to the instructions issued by the Prime Minister’s office.
According to the decision taken after a meeting between the PML-N and the PPP in Lahore on Sunday, the other members include ministers of defense, planning, finance, economic and law, as well as the attorney general of Pakistan (AGP).
