Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has officially classified its IT infrastructure as “Critical Infrastructure” under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, following Cabinet approval.

The declaration, communicated to field formations on Tuesday, specifically covers FBR’s data centers, applications, and systems containing taxpayer information. This move establishes severe penalties, including imprisonment and fines, for unauthorized access or interference with these systems.

“Any damage, leakage, unauthorized access, or misuse of data shall result in legal proceedings against responsible persons under PECA 2016,” the FBR stated. The board has directed all relevant authorities to implement necessary security measures to protect this critical infrastructure.

This classification serves as a deterrent against potential system breaches and strengthens protection of sensitive taxpayer data.