Adviser calls for broadening tax net
Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) policy board to look into important issues pertaining to tax collection and trade management.
The adviser underlined the need for broadening the tax net through the use of data already available with the FBR and without burdening the existing taxpayers.
He called for formulating a proposal for liaison between the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and FBR for data analysis to fulfill the latter’s requirements. During third meeting of the FBR policy board, its members discussed the proposed terms of reference prepared by Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar and former FBR chairman Abdullah Yousaf.
There was extensive discussion on the task assigned to a sub-committee for designing a mechanism of data sharing between the FBR and NADRA.
Chairing the meeting, Shaikh also inquired about the progress on clearance of containers on the Torkham border. The adviser was briefed that the situation was back to normal at the Torkham border and trade was being carried out without any hurdle. The current situation, due to Covid-19, was no longer a cause of concern for the traders.
Shaikh, after detailed discussion with all members of the board, gave certain guidelines for refining the proposed terms of reference under the supervision of Special Assistant to PM on Revenue Dr Waqar Masood Khan. He directed that next meeting of the policy board may be convened after two weeks.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2020.
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