Senior Bureaucrats of 97th NMC Course Visit FBR?

Lahore: A delegation from Pakistan’s most premier training institution, the National School of Public Policy (NSPP), Lahore, visited FBR today. 58 senior bureaucrats undergoing the 97th National Management Course were amongst the delegates, led by very senior retired civil servant, Mr Ismail Qureshi Rector NMU, and Dean National Management College (NSPP) Naeem Aslam.

The visiting senior civil servants were welcomed by Mr. Asrar Raouf Senior Member FBR, Shahid Rahim sheikh (Revenue Division) and members of FBR including Mr. Muhammad Aqil Usman (Legal) Mr. Riaz khan (Customs), Hafiz Muhammad Anees (Enforcement), Mr. Mustafa Ashraf (Taxpayer Audit) and Ms. Raana Seerat (HRM). FBR Chiefs were also present during the briefing.

Renowned national scholar, Dr. Sikandar Hayat, Mirza Shams-ul- Hasan-PSP, and Dr.Hashim Popalzai of the NMC directing staff accompanied the group.

Asrar Raouf who is also FBR’s spokesman, briefed the delegation and lead an hour long Q & A session, where Shahid Rahim Sheikh put forward the revenue division’s views on tax policy formation. Member customs appraised the delegation on FBR’s role in unearthing false sales tax-refund claims and effecting over Rs 8 billion recovery in a short time. The visiting senior civil servants were introduced to FBR’s revenue strategy in pursuit of this year’s target of Rs 2,381 billon (against last year’s revenues of Rs 1.883 billion) and Mr. Asrar Raouf also appraised the senior delegates on facets of policy proposal on voluntary registration scheme for taxpayers that is currently under deliberation (and is commonly misquoted in media as amnesty scheme).

He also appraised that while the economic scenario of Pakistan also impacts revenue collection, but despite such constraints the FBR with less than1% cost, collects taxes exceeding 95% of MOF’s given targets, and that over 85% of governments ‘expenditure is fed from revenues raised by FBR.

The delegation’s visit ended with brief comments by rector NSPP Mr. Ismail Qureshi on perspectives of tax policy.