ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday reiterated zero tolerance for corruption in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), calling for indiscriminate action against corrupt officials. Chairing a high-level review meeting, Shehbaz asked the FBR to enhance its institutional capacity to bridge the tax gap.
"Staff showing genuine improvement in conduct and performance should be given an opportunity to reform, while there should be no room for corruption or underperformance," he emphasised. He directed that reforms be accelerated, noting that initial results were encouraging.
He stressed that technology, professional training, transparency, and accountability must remain central to ensuring concrete outcomes. Directing the swift nationwide rollout of a faceless tax collection mechanism, the prime minister said FBR officials must meet national expectations.
The meeting was attended by Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Attorney General Mansoor Awan, and other senior officials. Officials briefed the meeting on interventions across technology, procedural workflows, and human resource management.
The meeting was informed that reforms over the past 3 years had narrowed the estimated tax gap from 6% to 5% of GDP, while technology had substantially reduced the inherent powers of FBR officials. New inductees are undergoing specialised training at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), complemented by in-service programs.
A Peer Rating System has been instituted to evaluate performance, and 957 auditors have been recruited on merit to strengthen financial scrutiny. In a related development, following the prime minister's directives, the FBR suspended two Inland Revenue Service (IRS) officers and repatriated two others to the headquarters for investigation over an unauthorised press statement and a call to stop official work.
According to an FBR announcement, the suspended officers include a BS-20 and a BS-19 officer, while those repatriated include two BS-20 officers. This conduct is a violation of the Civil Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1964, and amounts to misconduct.
As the FBR cannot tolerate such actions, disciplinary proceedings shall be initiated under the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020. Meanwhile, chairing a separate meeting on livestock sector reforms, the prime minister announced that the federal government would prioritise local vaccine production and private sector integration to boost exports.
He noted that the livestock sector holds immense potential for economic growth and that modernising the supply chain is a top priority for the current administration. The Prime Minister further directed that the livestock sector should be aligned with international standards to ensure that Pakistani products gain better access to global markets.
He emphasised that the government is committed to providing a business-friendly environment for the private sector to invest in value-added livestock products. Concluding the session, the Prime Minister reiterated that the government's economic agenda remains focused on structural reforms.
He expressed confidence that the ongoing measures in the FBR and the livestock sector would yield long-term benefits for the national economy, ultimately reducing the burden on the public and fostering sustainable development.