The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officers were urged by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday to work tirelessly and completely in order to assist Pakistan in becoming debt-free.
He was introducing a new Performance Management System for FBR personnel at an event in Islamabad. The prime minister stated, “We must put in a lot of effort to raise our revenues if we wish to move away from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).”
He said the 27% increase in FBR revenues was a credit to the whole FBR team. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that this was a lengthy process and that additional effort was required to close the system’s gaps.
The finance minister, the finance secretary, the chairman of the FBR, and the entire team were praised by the prime minister for their efforts in establishing such a successful performance system.
In order to foster a culture of punishment and reward that will enhance the institutions’ performance, he further declared that this system will be replicated in other government agencies.
The prime minister was informed on digital invoicing, the recently introduced Performance Management System, and PRAL (Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited) during his visit to the FBR. He also spoke with officers at the FBR’s recently created delivery section.
The prime minister was told that the FBR was implementing a data-driven decision-making mechanism. This includes gathering information about payments and asset purchases from NADRA, financial institutions, and other sources. The Board is working to put in place a modern, automated system that will broaden the tax base and bring FBR into compliance with international norms.
The entire value chain is being digitized in accordance with the prime minister’s goal for the FBR’s reforms and digitization. Additionally, the digital invoicing system has been ready for launch and will shortly be formally introduced.
During the meeting, it was also disclosed that the current fiscal year’s tax return forms had been significantly streamlined. More than 35 new businesses are now subject to taxes under the new regime.
To improve the standard of FBR officers’ work and promote accountability, the prime minister also implemented a completely digital and automated system for evaluating officer performance. and reward system. Based on their performance, officers will be eligible for promotions and cash incentives under this system. In addition, the prime minister met with officers and went over the system at the recently created FBR delivery unit.
He commended the arrangement, stating that the officers in the Unit were an important national resource. He said he hoped they would be crucial in updating Pakistan’s tax code and increasing the country’s income.
