Public’s general well-being priority as always: Dar

Says upcoming budget being prepared after consultations.

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said on Thursday that in line with the tradition of the past three years, the government was according top priority to the well-being of the general public in the upcoming budget.

Chairing separate meetings with senior officials of the Finance Division and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Dar said that budget measures will be focused on employment generation and on achieving higher, sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

“We require close coordination and thorough preparations by all the departments and the ministries involved in budget-related events, including the presentation of the budget in parliament as well as the launch of the Economic Survey,” he said.

“The budget is being prepared after extensive consultations with all the stakeholders, which include the business community, traders and chambers of commerce and industries,” he added.

The finance minister encouraged all concerned officials to continue putting in their best efforts to finalise all the arrangements in a timely manner.

Meanwhile, during the meeting, Secretary Finance Tariq Bajwa informed the minister that budget preparations were progressing smoothly and according to the prescribed timelines.

In a separate meeting with the FBR officials, Chairman Dr Muhammad Irshad gave a presentation to Dar on tax measures envisaged in the next budget, including measures for improvement in the system of tax collection, broadening the tax base and facilitation to tax payers.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2017.

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