PM seeks comprehensive proposals to slash government spending, reform economic structure

Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday sought thorough recommendations from the relevant authorities to significantly reduce government expenditures and overhaul the country’s economic structure.

He also directed to immediately initiate the process of complete digitization and automation of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), which he himself would oversee.

Chairing a high level meeting at the Prime Minister House soon after his return from Gwadar, PM Shehbaz Sharif directed that the world’s best model should be adopted for the digitization of FBR and in this regard the possibility of immediate access of the best services should also be reviewed to ensure transparency in the FBR system, increase tax collection, halt tax evasion, corruption and smuggling, and also to bring convenience to the general public and the business community through automation system.

Through the FBR reforms, the taxpayer heroes and the best performance officers would be encouraged and the black sheep would be brought to justice, the prime minister added. Chairman FBR Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana on the occasion briefed the meeting about the steps taken to enhance tax collection, refunds’ payments to the exporters, expanding the tax net, automation process, stop tax evasion, institutional corruption, smuggling, and provision of quality services to the people.

The prime minister, expressing dissatisfaction over the briefing, directed to immediately initiate process of complete digitization and automation of FBR as per the international standards, saying that it was a matter of life and death for the country.

“We will go ahead by learning lessons from the past mistakes as nothing could be changed by merely lamenting on the past mistakes,” he said. “We have to take up the challenge and find a way to get rid of the borrowed life.” He said everyone was responsible for the situation faced by the country, while capable and good people are also present everywhere. “If we start our journey now, we will soon reach the destination of prosperity and development”, he said.

He also announced to give reward and appreciate the efficient, honest and professional officers. The prime minister also directed that services of efficient people should be utilized on merit in the track and trace system. He said the ministry of interior would work with full force to stop smuggling from the country for which Pakistan Army would also provide its full support. Appreciating former caretaker finance minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Secretary finance Imdad Ullah Bosal and their team, the prime minister said they had taken forward the foundation which his government had laid to save Pakistan from default, with great effort and had shown good progress.

Addressing Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, the prime minister said that he was very impressed with her merit policy. The FBR chairman said that during current financial year, target for bringing 1.5 million more taxpayers into the tax net was on track. He said that legislation had been made for digitizing invoicing, which the prime minister directed for immediate implementation.

The meeting was also attended by Senator Musadik Malik, Ata Ullah Tarrar, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Rumina Khursheed Alam, Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, Ahad Cheema, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr Jehanzaib, Governor State Bank of Pakistan and other high officials.