Islamabad: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has assured the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of intensified efforts to curb tax evasion, particularly targeting high-risk taxpayers in the real estate, retail, and corporate sectors. This commitment was highlighted in the IMF’s latest report titled “First review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement.”
According to the report, the government plans to enhance tax compliance by leveraging the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to identify and audit high-risk taxpayers. The FBR will also increase the number of auditors to strengthen enforcement and implement targeted mass notification strategies to encourage compliance.
In addition, the government aims to expand the participation of retailers in the integrated Point-of-Sale (POS) system, which will help track transactions more effectively and reduce underreporting of sales. Import declarations will be closely monitored, especially focusing on importers with irregular patterns, while ongoing anti-smuggling efforts will continue to support revenue mobilization.
Special attention is being given to the informal tobacco market, where the government will conduct thorough audits on imports of acetate tow — a key tobacco input — which has been misclassified under incorrect codes. Measures include restricting acetate tow imports to registered tobacco and filter manufacturers, mandating the use of bonded warehouses, and prohibiting transit imports to Afghanistan.
To improve revenue administration further, the government is committed to enhancing the efficiency of the track-and-trace system used for monitoring tobacco production. Anti-smuggling campaigns and checkpoint operations will be reinforced, especially in the northwestern regions of the country.
These efforts reflect the government’s resolve to meet IMF conditions and mobilize revenue through greater transparency and enforcement in sectors that have traditionally posed challenges for tax collection.
Samra Zulfiqar, a real estate analyst at Zameen.com, is passionate about finding projects that offer buyers the best returns. Her keen insights spotlight the market’s most promising opportunities.
