Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to provide every possible facility to Pakistan’s business community, describing entrepreneurs and industrialists as the backbone of the national economy. He stressed that creating a business friendly environment is essential for increasing investment, production, exports, and economic growth.
While chairing a meeting on the performance and reforms of the FBR, the prime minister instructed tax authorities to maintain close coordination with traders and industrialists. He emphasized that the genuine concerns of businesses should be addressed without delay to strengthen confidence in the country’s taxation system.
To improve communication with the private sector, PM Shehbaz directed senior FBR officials to visit Karachi during the first week of every month. These visits are intended to provide businesses with direct access to tax authorities and ensure that their issues are resolved quickly through regular engagement.
The prime minister also expressed confidence that Pakistan’s economy is moving toward greater stability and that the current year will bring stronger economic growth, higher investment, and expanded business activity. He added that companies consistently complying with tax laws should receive official recognition for their contribution to the national economy and revenue collection.
Highlighting the government’s economic priorities, Shehbaz Sharif said efforts are focused on promoting ease of doing business, encouraging exports, attracting domestic and foreign investment, and making the tax system more transparent, efficient, and simple.
During the meeting, officials briefed the prime minister on the progress of FBR reforms and the implementation of production monitoring systems in key industries. Monitoring systems are already operational in the sugar, cement, tobacco, tiles, and fertilizer sectors, while similar systems are being introduced in the textile and beverages industries.
According to the briefing, the production monitoring initiative significantly improved tax collection over the past year. The sugar industry generated an additional Rs42 billion, the cement sector contributed Rs38 billion, and the beverages industry added Rs15 billion in extra tax revenue.
The government believes these reforms will strengthen tax compliance, improve transparency, and create a more supportive environment for businesses while contributing to Pakistan’s long term economic development.
