Prime
Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi today chaired a meeting on tax reforms in the
country here at Prime Minister’s office.
The
meeting was attended by Mr. Haroon Akhter Khan, SAPM, Mr. Miftah Ismail, SAPM,
members of Tax Reforms Commission and senior government officials.
The
Prime Minister was briefed on various measures being taken to introduce
much-needed tax reforms, broadening of tax base, incentivizing and
simplification of tax collection system and bringing about qualitative
improvements in the auditing system. Various proposal to make the revenue
collection system more efficient and customer friendly were also discussed
threadbare. Various steps being taken by FBR to facilitate tax-payers of the
country also came under discussion.
The
Prime Minister directed that the process of establishing real time linkages of
FBR with relevant organizations such as NADRA, banks, provincial authorities,
and utility service providers should be expedited to make the system more
efficient.
The
Prime Minister also observed that in order to broaden tax base, steps should be
taken to bridge trust deficit between the tax-payers and the tax-collectors.
The Prime Minister observed that everyone should be encouraged to pay their
taxes and thus discharge their national obligation.
He
directed that tax return forms should be further simplified and reduced to
minimum possible size for the ease of common citizens and tax-filers.
The
Prime Minister asked Federal Board of Revenue to undertake systemic and
broad-based reforms in consultation with all stakeholders rather than a
piecemeal approach.
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