ISLAMABAD
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sought a complete report from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) about revenue collection.
The prime minister issued these directions while talking to FBR Chairman Dr Muhammad Ashfaq who called on him on Friday.
The chairman apprised the prime minister of the current tax collection situation. He also briefed the prime minister about the performance of the FBR.
Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader and expected finance minister Miftah Ismail has said the PM has given him the go-ahead to begin engaging with the International Monetary Fund on the revival of the seventh review of a $6 billion rescue programme agreed in July 2019.
“PM Shehbaz has asked me to engage with the IMF, as the government is keen to remain in the IMF programme,” Ismail said.
In February, the IMF approved a $1 billion disbursement to Pakistan after completing a sixth review of the country’s reforms under the loan programme. The IMF programme is currently stalled for the third time in three years after seventh review talks collapsed due to the outgoing government of Imran Khan announcing fuel subsidies and a tax amnesty scheme. Of the $6 billion loan, $3 billion is yet to be disbursed with only five months remaining before the expiry of the programme.
