PRA collected Rs 49.49 billion in just six months : Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha

Lahore : Provincial Minister for Finance Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha has said that Punjab Revenue Authority is on-track upon its growth trajectory by achieving remarkable collection figures of Rs.49.49 billion in the short period of first six months of the current financial year (2017-18). The collection is 36% more than the same period of last financial year.

The credits also goes to the tax Payer who trusts the Government and plays it’s pivotal role in national larger interest. She further said that taxation is the system which civilized communities adopt for the development of a more civilized nation.

We as the government has carefully utilized tax payer’s money for the provision of affordable and decent social welfare and development projects.
She expressed these views while addressing at Punjab Revenue Authority’s annual Dinner here today. Special Secretary Finance Saif u llah Dogar, Chairman PRA Dr Raheel Ahmed Siddiqi and other Officers & officials were also present on this occasion .

Minister Finance said that Punjab Government through its policies and actions has fulfilled its commitment by the launch, execution and completion of numerous development projects which have been appreciated at international level as well . “I am fortunate enough to be a part of a team led by our Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif who is a person with a clear soul and one who works day & night for the betterment of the under privileged and less advantaged”,she remarked.

As  Finance Minister, I can proudly say that PRA is giving strong financial support to Punjab Government by achieving its targets by introducing a new tax payer culture in the province .

She appreciated PRA’s team efforts on achieving a record breaking half yearly target and lauded the efforts of PRA officers by distributing prizes. She also encouraged the team to continue work hard with discipline and honesty to achieve higher targets in future.

Chairman PRA, Dr. Raheel Siddiqui thanked the Finance Minister for her kind words and reiterate that PRA with its new modern techniques of generating taxes would further bring more businesses into the tax net while increasing its tax collection every passing day.

He informed the Minister that in past few weeks PRA has been very active in introducing new measures for the transparency of tax generation, a very fine example is the launch of STIRVE, a real-time sales tax invoice verification system that focuses entirely on denying bogus claims of input sales taxes.

PRA is working hard not only to expand its tax net but is also helping the tax payers understand the benefits and necessity of taxes. He said that STRIVE system, like the RIMS would turn out to be an even greater success for PRA.