ISLAMABAD: The second meeting of the Task Force on the Digitalization of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was held at FBR Headquarters on Wednesday.
The meeting was chaired by Minister of State for Finance and Revenue, Ali Pervez Malik, co-chaired by DG C41, Major General Syed Ali Raza and attended by FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial, along with various Board members, senior officers, and Task Force members.
The meeting continued the momentum from last week’s initial discussions, focusing on actionable steps to transform the FBR into a modern, digitalized organization aimed at boosting national revenue.
In his opening remarks, Minister Ali Pervez Malik reiterated the Task Force’s mission to deliver practical recommendations for the FBR’s digital overhaul. He also extended a welcome to Dr. Javed Ashraf from NADRA, the newest member of the Task Force.
Presentations were made by the Conveners of the Working Groups, each focusing on their respective terms of reference. Asif Peer discussed the restructuring of PRAL, including improvements in governance, talent management, and technology to enhance its performance.
Dr. Javed Ashraf presented data integration from various organizations, recommending strategies for a systematic approach to identifying potential taxpayers.
Ghazi Akhtar addressed supply chain automation and the Track & Trace System (TTS), highlighting the need to leverage existing data to incorporate wholesalers into the tax net and improve TTS efficacy. Tania Aidrus focused on the trade data sharing interface with trading partners, pointing out gaps in the Customs system and suggesting improvements for better data capture.
The Minister of State praised the Working Groups for their initial findings and emphasized the importance of utilizing available data to broaden the tax base and enhance revenue collection. He also stressed the need for greater transparency through improved data integration and directed that representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs & Commerce, SECP, and the State Bank of Pakistan be included in future meetings.
Chairman FBR underscored the need to optimize PRAL’s IT services and ensure data cleanliness to make it actionable. He expressed confidence that the FBR is poised to significantly boost revenue through data automation and innovative solutions.
Following the presentations, extensive discussions among Task Force members led to a consensus that the Working Groups should refine their findings and prepare final recommendations for presentation at the next Task Force meeting. These recommendations will subsequently be submitted to the Prime Minister of Pakistan for implementation.
