PM warns tax dodgers of no concessions

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed the completion and full operationalisation of the production monitoring systems for sales tax purposes across all manufacturing sectors by the end of this year to ensure effective enforcement of tax laws.

Chairing a review meeting on Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) reforms in Islamabad, the prime minister emphasised that production monitoring through cameras under the faceless taxation system was being made more effective, according to a press release issued by the Prime Minister's Office Media Wing.

The prime minister directed the removal of all hurdles in installing automated production monitoring systems. He said businesses that collected taxes from consumers but pocketed the money instead of depositing it into the national exchequer did not deserve any concessions.

"The government will take all necessary measures to realise the country's full tax potential and ensure effective enforcement of tax laws," he said. He appreciated manufacturing businesses that were voluntarily installing production monitoring systems in compliance with government measures.

The meeting was informed that production monitoring systems had been fully installed in the sugar, cement, tobacco, tiles and fertiliser sectors. Installation was under way in the textile, packaged water, packaged juice and packaged milk sectors.

Participants were also informed that procurement of equipment for the steel, poultry and tyre sectors would be completed by October 15, while procurement for the tea, household electronics, leather, paper and board, and oil and ghee sectors would be completed by October 30.

The systems were expected to become fully operational across all these manufacturing sectors by December 31. Participants were also briefed on resistance from some industries to installing monitoring systems in the textile sector.

The prime minister appreciated textile companies that had voluntarily installed the systems. He also commended the audit report on the production monitoring system in the cement sector and directed the Ministry of Information Technology to arrange audits of the systems in other sectors.

A comprehensive review report on the gap between the country's tax potential and actual tax collection was also presented at the meeting. It included an assessment of the additional revenue that could be generated through improved tax compliance and enforcement.

The meeting was informed that government measures had resulted in an additional Rs1.3 trillion in tax collection over the past three years, representing a 40% increase. The additional revenue had been generated through enforcement measures.

The prime minister commended the FBR Transformation Team for preparing a comprehensive assessment of the country's tax potential and identifying gaps between potential revenue and actual collection. At the end of the meeting, he awarded shields to officials involved in preparing the report.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Azam Nazeer Tarar, Dr Musadik Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema and Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Prime Minister's Adviser Haroon Akhtar and other senior officials concerned.