Islamabad: The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Adam Smith International organised a symposium titled ‘Agenda for Tax Reforms in Pakistan’, in which experts urged the government to simplify the tax regime, according to news sources. The experts advised that tax compliance costs could be reduced by digitalising the tax authority processes, and improving the skillset and capacity of their human resources to gain the financial stability that was sought by the government.
Director General (international taxes) of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Dr Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmed revealed that despite the tax broadening measures of the FBR, the department is still falling short of making any significant contributions to the total revenues.
He also remarked that the department might consider minimizing tax exemptions and concessions to boost the collection of tax revenues. He conceded that the FBR has a need to improve the tax compliance and filing system to make it more efficient and transparent.
The Joint Executive Director SDPI Dr Vaqar Ahmed said that improved capacity is required to devise progressive tax policies, along with an expedition of administrative reforms, digitalization of FBR processes, launch of a single portal for filing returns, and a shift to risk-based audits.
Hazafa reveres the art of writing and has been turned into a property enthusiast by profession. Her daily survival kit includes; tea, coffee, keyboard and paperbacks.
