PM orders third-party validation of reforms

Shehbaz vows to lead Pakistan toward a stable economy

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed for third-party validation of ongoing initiatives and reforms in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) by internationally renowned companies, stressing that the government was determined to lead the country toward a stable economy through institutional reforms.

Chairing a review meeting of the FBR affairs, the prime minister noted that institutional reforms were progressing rapidly across all sectors and that all the government institutions were working tirelessly to eliminate corruption and addressing other deficiencies, such as a lack of transparency.

"The recent positive economic indicators are clear proof of the correct government policies," the prime minister told the meeting, attended by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, the FBR chairman, and senior officials from the relevant institutions.

Expressing satisfaction over the recent performance of the faceless customs assessment system, the prime minister highlighted that reforms such as the faceless customs assessment system were yielding promising results in maintaining transparency.

The prime minister received a briefing about the performance of the faceless customs assessment system and progress in the reforms in the Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL). Officials said that a simplified digital tax return system for the general public would be implemented soon.

The implementation of the faceless customs assessment system has led to an overall increase in revenue and a significant reduction in customs clearance time, while the reform process in the PRAL is progressing rapidly, the meeting was informed.

The officials stated that efforts were under way to introduce the digital tax return system in Urdu and other local languages for the convenience of ordinary users. "God willing, we will succeed in our struggle to make Pakistan economically stable," Prime Minister Shehbaz said, after the briefing.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)