Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed senior Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials to visit Karachi during the first week of every month to engage with the business community and resolve tax-related issues without delay.
While chairing a meeting on FBR reforms, the prime minister instructed tax officials to maintain regular contact with businesses, address their concerns on a priority basis, and acknowledge taxpayers with a strong record of compliance.
Calling the business community the backbone of the economy, Shehbaz said the government is focused on creating a more business-friendly tax regime to encourage investment, boost industrial output, and increase exports. He added that ongoing economic stabilization is expected to support stronger growth during the current fiscal year.
The meeting also reviewed progress on FBR’s digital enforcement initiatives. Officials informed the prime minister that electronic production monitoring systems are operational in the sugar, cement, tiles, and fertilizer sectors, while implementation is underway in the textile and beverage industries.
According to the briefing, these monitoring systems helped generate an additional Rs. 42 billion in tax revenue from the sugar sector, Rs. 38 billion from cement, and Rs. 15 billion from beverages over the past year.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, and other senior officials.
