PM warns against resistance to FBR reforms

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has told Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officers that opposition to tax reforms would not be accepted, and called for faster implementation to narrow the tax gap. Dawn reported that the warning came at a weekly review after the Inland Revenue Officers Association called a work stoppage, a move later withdrawn following discussions with senior FBR officials.

The FBR chairman presented progress on a faceless assessment and audit pilot, with a National Faceless Centre in Islamabad handling third-party data checks for 300,000 to 400,000 individuals. The pilot began on October 1 and the centre has 27 officers; separately, the FBR suspended two Inland Revenue officers and transferred two others for investigation over an unauthorised statement and the strike call. The prime minister also directed action against corrupt staff and said officers with improved performance should have a chance to reform.