Chairman Sindh Revenue Board Dr. Wasif Memon visited the Punjab Revenue Authority headquarters in Lahore, where discussions were held with Chairman PRA Muazzam Iqbal Sipra on tax reforms, services sales tax implementation, data sharing, and enhanced inter-provincial cooperation to improve revenue collection and broaden the tax base.
The Federal Tax Ombudsman Secretariat has clarified that the President of Pakistan has neither overturned FTO decisions nor curtailed its statutory powers. The President’s decision merely assigns the Federal Board of Revenue the responsibility to determine appropriate corrective procedures where irregularities are identified through FTO’s own-motion and inspection-based proceedings.
The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has called for an industrial emergency, citing soaring electricity costs, high taxes, and expensive credit that threaten to collapse Pakistan’s manufacturing sector, especially textiles. The body urged tax cuts, lower gas prices, reduced interest rates, and clearance of pending export refunds to restore competitiveness and protect jobs.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has proposed devolving sales tax on goods to provinces, arguing that provincial revenue authorities like the Sindh Revenue Board have outperformed the FBR and can strengthen fiscal stability and economic self-sufficiency.
The Lahore High Court has rejected a writ petition filed by a former FBR Member Operations challenging FIA action in a tax refunds scam at LTO Lahore, holding that supervisory position alone does not make one an aggrieved person under the Constitution.
Pakistan Customs at the Air Cargo Control Unit (ACCU), Karachi, intercepted a parcel from the USA falsely declared as “books” and recovered 1.03 kg of marijuana valued at Rs. 30.716 million, highlighting continued vigilance against smuggling through international mail channels.
In the super tax case, former law minister Dr Farogh Naseem told the Federal Constitutional Court that the FBR may have leeway in following court decisions. He cautioned that judicial inconsistency could pose greater risks than mass protests, as the case raises major constitutional and revenue issues involving Sections 4B and 4C of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.
The Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) has decided to enroll individuals and companies that have remained outside the tax net. Service-providing firms must now register with the PRA, use the E-Invoicing Monitoring System, and pay taxes on time. Chairman Muazzam Iqbal Sipra emphasized enhanced field operations and a training program to improve compliance and facilitate taxpayers.
The Federal Board of Revenue has decided to include AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan taxpayers in the federal Active Taxpayers’ List, subject to verification through IRIS, to enhance tax data integration and consistent treatment nationwide.
The Economic Coordination Committee has cleared funding for FBR’s digital enforcement stations along major rivers, defence and cybersecurity projects, special education transport, and key IT initiatives, aiming to enhance enforcement, connectivity, and citizen-focused services across Pakistan.