Islamabad, July 15,2026: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday described the business community as the “backbone of the national economy” and directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to work closely with businesses to address their legitimate concerns and promote economic growth.
Chairing a meeting to review the performance and reforms of the FBR, the prime minister said the government was committed to providing every possible facility to the business community to increase production, boost exports and strengthen investor confidence.
He instructed the FBR to prioritize the resolution of genuine issues faced by businesses and directed senior tax officials to visit Karachi during the first week of every month to maintain direct engagement with the business community and ensure timely resolution of their concerns.
Expressing confidence in Pakistan’s economic outlook, Shehbaz Sharif said the country’s economy had entered a phase of stability and that the current year would witness stronger economic growth and increased business activity.
He also announced that companies complying with tax laws would be formally recognized and encouraged in appreciation of their contribution to the national economy.
The prime minister emphasized that the government’s broader objective was to improve the ease of doing business by simplifying the tax system, enhancing transparency and encouraging investment and exports.
During the meeting, officials briefed the prime minister on the FBR’s performance and the progress of ongoing tax reforms.
The meeting was informed that production monitoring systems have been installed in the sugar, cement, tobacco, tiles and fertilizer industries to improve tax compliance and revenue collection.
Officials added that the installation of similar monitoring systems is currently underway in the textile and beverages sectors.
According to the briefing, production monitoring in the sugar industry generated an additional Rs42 billion in tax revenue over the past year, while the cement sector contributed an extra Rs38 billion. The beverages industry also recorded an additional Rs15 billion in tax collection during the same period.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar, State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad and other senior government officials.
