Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday described Pakistan’s business community as the “backbone of the national economy” and directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to work closely with traders and industrialists to resolve their legitimate concerns and support economic growth.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review FBR affairs, the prime minister instructed the tax authority to prioritise resolving issues faced by businesses and ensure continuous coordination with the private sector.
To improve communication, Shehbaz Sharif directed senior FBR officials to visit Karachi during the first week of every month to hold direct meetings with the business community and address their concerns without delay.
The prime minister expressed confidence that Pakistan’s economy is moving towards stability, saying the current year is expected to witness stronger economic growth, increased industrial activity and greater business expansion.
He also announced that companies complying with tax laws would be officially recognised and encouraged in appreciation of their contribution to the national economy.
Emphasising the government’s reform agenda, Shehbaz Sharif said efforts are focused on improving the ease of doing business, attracting investment, increasing exports and making the tax system more transparent and business-friendly to strengthen investor confidence.
During the meeting, officials briefed the prime minister on the FBR’s ongoing reforms and revenue performance. It was informed that production monitoring systems have already been installed in the sugar, cement, tobacco, tiles and fertiliser sectors, while implementation is currently underway in the textile and beverages industries.
According to the briefing, production monitoring generated significant additional tax revenue over the past year, including Rs42 billion from the sugar industry, Rs38 billion from the cement sector, and Rs15 billion from the beverages industry.
The meeting was attended by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, and other senior government officials.
