ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called upon the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officers to work with unwavering commitment and full dedication to help Pakistan becoming a debt-free country.
He was speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad where he launched a new Performance Management System for FBR officers.
“If we want to move away from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), we must work hard to increase our revenues,” the prime minister said.
He said the FBR revenues witnessed an increase of 27%, for which the entire FBR team deserved appreciation.
However, he said this was a long journey and more work was needed to plug the loopholes in the system.
The prime minister commended the efforts of the finance minister, the secretary finance, Chairman FBR and the entire team for launching such an effective performance system.
He also announced to replicate this system in other government institutions to promote the culture of penalty and reward aimed at improving the performance of the institutions.
During his visit to the FBR, the prime minister was briefed on PRAL (Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited), digital invoicing, and the newly launched Performance Management System.
He also visited the newly established delivery unit of FBR and interacted with officers.
The prime minister was informed that a data-driven decision-making system was being introduced at the FBR. This includes data collection from NADRA, banking institutions, and other sectors regarding payments and asset purchases. In order to align FBR with international standards and expand the tax base, the Board is taking steps toward implementing a modern and automated system.
In line with the prime minister’s vision for reforms and digitization of the FBR, the entire value chain is being digitized. Furthermore, preparations for launching the digital invoicing system have been completed and it will be officially rolled out soon.
It was also shared during the briefing that tax return forms for the current fiscal year had been further simplified. Under the new system, more than 35 additional companies have been brought into the tax net.
To improve the performance of FBR officers and promote a system of accountability and reward, the prime minister also launched a fully automated and digital system for evaluating officer performance. Through this system, officers will be eligible for financial incentives and promotions based on their performance.
The prime minister also visited the newly established FBR delivery unit, where he met with officers and reviewed the system.
He praised the setup saying that the officers working in the Unit were a valuable national asset. He expressed hope that they will play a key role in modernizing Pakistan’s tax system and boosting national revenue.
