Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif ordered an acceleration of reforms within the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) during a high-level review meeting. Sharif directed the swift nationwide implementation of a faceless tax collection mechanism to streamline the process.
The Prime Minister called for indiscriminate action and zero tolerance against corrupt elements operating within the department. Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Attaullah Tarar attended the session.
Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani and Attorney General Mansoor Awan also participated in the review. Reforms conducted over the last three years have reduced the estimated tax gap from 6% of GDP to 5% of GDP.
The FBR has hired 957 auditors as third-party contractors on a contract basis. This recruitment has quadrupled the total audit capacity of the revenue authority.
A Peer Rating System is now officially in place to assess the performance of officers. New inductees at the FBR are currently receiving specialized professional training at LUMS.
Large-scale technological restructuring is currently underway to modernise the department.
