Islamabad, August 5, 2025: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday issued a strong directive for urgent reforms aimed at improving access to low-cost agricultural loans for small and medium-scale farmers, while also pushing for institutional overhaul and modernization of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to boost tax efficiency and transparency.
Chairing two separate high-level meetings, the Prime Minister underscored the government’s commitment to rural empowerment, economic revival, and sustainable institutional reforms.
In a review meeting on agricultural finance, the Prime Minister said providing small-scale farmers with easier and respectful access to low-interest loans was a national priority.
“Small farmers are the backbone of our economy. They deserve not just respect but real facilitation when it comes to access to affordable credit,” said PM Shehbaz.
He directed immediate reforms within Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) and urged private banks to actively contribute by offering concessional loans on simplified terms. The Prime Minister also announced that he would personally chair review meetings every three weeks to track the implementation of loan facilitation programs and institutional progress at ZTBL.
Federal Ministers Rana Tanveer Hussain and Ahsan Iqbal, among other key officials, attended the session and briefed the Prime Minister on ZTBL’s performance and ongoing efforts to boost agri-lending. The meeting also reviewed strategies to enhance private sector engagement in agricultural credit disbursement.
In a separate meeting focused on tax administration, PM Shehbaz Sharif directed the elimination of bureaucratic hurdles and institutional delays to ensure the permanent implementation of FBR reforms, particularly in customs clearance systems.
Expressing satisfaction over the rising tax-to-GDP ratio, the Prime Minister reaffirmed full federal support for the ongoing reform agenda and emphasized the use of modern technology to improve customs efficiency and reduce procedural delays.
“The reform targets and timelines for the FBR must remain intact. We must not deviate,” said the Prime Minister, directing coordination among federal and provincial authorities to ensure continued improvement in revenue collection.
To raise public awareness, the Prime Minister directed both FBR and the Customs Department to work in close collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The meeting was informed that, as per PM Shehbaz’s special directive, the income tax return form is now available online in Urdu, simplifying the filing process for over 84% of tax filers. The FBR has already achieved its revenue target for July, the first month of the new fiscal year, and remains on track for the months ahead.
Additionally, the rollout of digital enforcement stations, the Centralized Assessment Unit (CAU), and the faceless customs system is progressing on a priority basis to ensure transparency, efficiency, and uniformity in customs procedures.
Ministers Ahad Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Bilal Azhar Kayani, the Attorney General, and senior FBR officials also participated in the briefing.
