Business

Dar directs FBR to boost efforts for achieving ‘true tax potential’

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to accelerate its efforts to achieve the true tax potential of the country.

The financial czar made the remarks while presiding over a meeting in Islamabad to review the performance of the FBR.

Dar extended his full support to the FBR in the performance of its duties for revenue collection.

During the meeting, FBR Chairman Asim Ahmad gave a detailed presentation on revenue targets and the performance of the FBR during the first nine months of the current fiscal year. It was stated that the FBR would make all-out efforts to meet its revenue target in the remaining months of the current financial year.

On February 1, the FBR claimed that it had collected Rs3,965 billion in tax collection in seven months (July-Jan) period and will have to collect Rs3,505 billion more in the remaining five months (Feb-June) of the current fiscal to meet the Rs7,470 billion target.

According to an FBR announcement, the tax machinery had surpassed the tax collection target envisaged for January 2023 with a margin of just Rs4 billion; its collection stood at Rs537 billion against the fixed target of Rs533 billion. However, FBR faced a revenue shortfall of Rs225 billion in December 2022 target.

It is argued by the FBR authorities that December 2022 was wrongly fixed on the higher side and they would be able to collect the fixed target for Income Tax, Sales Tax and Federal Excise Duty (FED). However, it might face a shortfall of Rs170 billion on account of Customs Duty collection.

The latest estimates suggest that the devaluation of the exchange rate will help the FBR overcome its expected shortfall in the current fiscal year.

According to the official statement issued by the FBR, the revenue collector had demonstrated performance during January 2023 and had not only achieved the monthly budgetary target of Rs533 billion but also surpassed it by Rs4 billion.

According to provisional figures, the FBR collected Rs537 billion in the month of January, showing a growth of 23% compared to the same month last year.

Cumulatively, the FBR had collected Rs3,965 billion in the first seven months of the current financial year against Rs3,367 billion collected in the corresponding period of the last year, depicting a growth of 18%.

The third quarter of the current fiscal year started with an impressive performance and the FBR was committed to meet the annual budgetary target of Rs7,470 billion for the current financial year despite economic challenges, said the statement.

According to the tax regulator, direct taxes collection had shown growth of 48% during the first seven months of the current financial year.

The growth in domestic taxes was 40% during the same period. The contribution of domestic taxes has also increased from 50% last year to 59% during the current year.

Business

E&P Companies Will Invest $5 Billion in Pakistan’s Petroleum Industry

Published

11 hours ago

Farwa

Over the next three years, local and foreign companies involved in Pakistan’s oil and gas exploration and production sector have shown a strong desire to invest more than $5 billion in the nation’s energy sector.

Recent changes to the Petroleum Policy and the implementation of an exclusive tight gas policy, which provide better incentives and a more investor-friendly regulatory framework, are credited with the increase in investor confidence.

These strategic changes are expected to boost domestic energy production, open up new avenues for growth, and draw large amounts of both domestic and foreign investment.

Business

With inflation slowing, the SBP is anticipated to lower the policy rate for the eighth time in a row.

Published

12 hours ago

Farwa

Businesspeople anticipate another reduction in the policy rate when the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) releases the updated rate.

The interest rate for the upcoming two months will be announced by the central bank. It is still unclear if the rate will stay the same or be lowered to reflect stakeholder expectations.

According to experts, the policy rate will be lowered in order to further boost the nation’s economic sector.

Interest rates may be lowered for the seventh time in a row if the inflation rate declines significantly more than anticipated.

In its last six sessions, the MPC had cut the policy rate by 10 percent. In January 2025, it decreased the rate by one percent to 12pc.

12PC POLICY RATE

In January, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced cut in key policy rate by 100 basis points (bps) to 12 percent from 13pc in line with expectations of the business community.

The policy rate, which had been at 22 percent since June 2024, was slashed by 1,000 basis points to 12 percent.

The SBP governor said the decision was taken with careful consideration. “Although inflation is expected to decline next month (February), core inflation remains a pressing concern,” he stated.

Ahmed highlighted strong remittance inflows and robust export growth as key factors supporting the current account.