PM Shehbaz directs FBR to tighten noose around tax evaders, their facilitators

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, expressing satisfaction over the positive outcomes of FBR reforms, has called for tightening the noose around the tax evaders and their facilitators and strictly punishing them, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

The prime minister was talking to FBR officers, who called on him at the PM House on Thursday. On the occasion, he instructed the FBR to thoroughly investigate the identified tax fraud and take the perpetrators to the task by engaging an highly capable legal team. 

The PM also announced a Rs5 million award and presented a commendatory shield to an FBR officer Ijaz Hussain who identified a sales tax fraud worth trillions of rupees. The prime minister appreciated his dutifulness and honesty. The act of the FBR officer is the outcome of the prime minister’s ongoing drive for FBR reforms and curbing the tax evasion, according to a PM Office press release. In the meeting, the prime minister said that there was no dearth of dutiful and competent officers but they needed to be acknowledged. In the briefing, it was told that the credentials of an 80 years old lady was used for the sales tax fraud which was pointed out by Ijaz Hussain on March 4, this year. It was told that under the sales tax fraud, Rs370 million were also transferred initially which was being recovered as a main culprit has already been arrested. Prime Minister Shehbaz directed to identify and punish the FBR officers who facilitated this tax fraud. He said the government was striving to widen the tax base and the measures like the FBR reforms and digitisation would also help prevent such offences.