ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has given the go-ahead for the establishment of an advanced digital ecosystem within the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), aimed at boosting tax collection efficiency and curbing the informal economy in Pakistan.
During a high-level meeting in Islamabad to review the progress of FBR reforms, the prime minister emphasized the importance of engaging internationally acclaimed experts in digital transformation and taxation. He stressed that Pakistan needs not just digital tools, but an end-to-end ecosystem that captures economic activity from the earliest stages of production to the final point of sale.
“Digitization alone won’t solve our problems. We require a comprehensive system that maps every step—starting from imports and procurement to manufacturing and retail sales,” stated PM Shehbaz.
The session was attended by key cabinet members, including Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister Ahad Cheema, and Special Assistant Bilal Azhar Kayani, alongside senior FBR officials and noted policy expert Mosharraf Zaidi.
Officials presented an overview of the proposed digital framework, which aims to integrate FBR’s data streams into a centralized, real-time monitoring platform. This would allow authorities to closely track goods and financial transactions across sectors, improving transparency and compliance.
The prime minister underscored that the new infrastructure must provide actionable, real-time data to tackle tax evasion, facilitate formalization of the economy, and inform smarter fiscal policies. “With accurate and timely data, we can expand the tax net without overburdening the average citizen,” he remarked.
PM Shehbaz expressed optimism about the initial impact of the ongoing reforms, noting early signs of improvement in economic indicators. He affirmed that once implemented, the digital ecosystem would revolutionize tax administration and become a cornerstone of effective economic management in the country.
