ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to establish a dedicated helpline to assist taxpayers, especially salaried individuals, with filing returns under the newly simplified system.
Chairing a high-level meeting on FBR digitization and tax reforms, the prime minister emphasized that expanding the tax base while reducing the burden on the poor remains a top government priority. He praised the introduction of simplified tax return forms in Urdu and instructed that digital invoicing should also be available in the national language to make the process easier for small businesses and the general public.
“To ensure transparency, third-party validation must be part of every FBR reform,” Shehbaz Sharif said. “Our focus should be on making tax filing convenient for the common man. Salaried individuals will particularly benefit from the new, concise, digital tax returns linked with a centralized database.”
He also directed the launch of a public awareness campaign to encourage more citizens to file tax returns and urged that small and medium-sized businesses receive special support in adopting digital invoicing.
Pushing for a digital and cashless economy
In a separate meeting on Pakistan’s shift toward a digital and cashless economy, the prime minister reiterated that transparency and ease of doing business are key objectives of his government’s economic policy.
He said digitizing payments—both government-to-people and people-to-government—would bring efficiency and build trust in the system. He instructed authorities to simplify digital processes for small and medium enterprises and complete the appointment of the Raast payment system’s Board of Governors and Chairman by September, ensuring the inclusion of economic and business experts.
The prime minister also called for bringing all State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) under the digital framework to improve governance.
Expressing satisfaction over the Pakistan Stock Exchange crossing a historic 135,000 points, Shehbaz Sharif said it reflected growing investor confidence and showed that current economic policies were on the right track. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating a business-friendly environment and strengthening economic stability.
