Fiscal year 2017 tax target must be met – Dar

Federal Minister for Finance, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar has urged Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to take all necessary measures to meet the tax collection target for the current fiscal year. The Finance Minister was chairing a meeting at the Ministry of Finance on Sunday on matters related to the FBR. Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Revenue, Haroon Akhtar Khan, Finance Secretary, Secretary EAD, Chairman FBR, and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance and FBR attended the meeting.

Ishaq Dar said that the prudent policies of the present government, and the efforts of FBR, had resulted in 60% growth in tax revenue collection between FY 2012-2013 and FY 2015-2016. The FBR Chairman updated the Finance Minister on the latest status of tax collection during FY 2016-17. He said that all efforts are being made to attain the collection target for the current fiscal year. He said that a comprehensive strategy is being finalised for tax collection in FY 2017-18, and it would be presented to the Finance Minister in due course.

The Finance Minister assured his full support to FBR for achieving the revenue targets for FY 2017-18. He appreciated the contributions of FBR officials in the preparation of the budget for FY 2017-18, which has recently been passed by Parliament. Dar expressed the confidence that the measures announced in the budget for FY 2017-18 will enhance the welfare and prosperity of the general public, and enable Pakistan to achieve higher, sustainable and inclusive economic growth.