ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan launched the FBR’s first ever Track and Trace System for the sugar sector on Tuesday.
Addressing the launching ceremony in Islamabad, PM Imran Khan said this system will help enhance the tax collection.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for promoting and strengthening tax culture in the country by assuring people that their taxes will be spent for welfare of their children instead of luxuries of rulers.
He said people will not hesitate in paying tax if their confidence on government machinery is restored.
Imran Khan said the technology-based Trace and Track system will ensure utmost transparency in the tax collection and restoring people’s confidence.
Speaking on the occasion, Finance Advisor Shaukat Fayaz Khan Tarin said seventy-six companies have signed up for the Track and Trace System so far.
He said FBR and NADRA are working on broadening the tax base through the use of modern technology.
The Advisor said around fifteen million people have been identified, who can be brought to the tax net.
The FBR’s Trace and Track System will ensure electronic monitoring of the production and sale of important sectors including tobacco, fertilizer, sugar and cement sectors.
This will help bring transparency in the system and enhance the country’s revenue.
Under the system, no production bag of sugar will be taken out from the factory and manufacturing plant without stamp and individual identity mark.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the government is taking steps on priority basis to increase economic activity in the country and is focused on increasing investments in the export industry for creating employment opportunities. All government institutions are working together to provide a conducive environment for investors. The government is taking steps to speed up work on Phase II of CPEC. He added.
A review meeting of PM’s Priority Sectors was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad. The meeting was given a detailed briefing on the progress of Phase II of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The meeting was informed that work on gas and electricity supply in Rashakai, Dhabeji, Allama Iqbal and Bostan Special Economic Zones (SEZs) is in full swing. Electricity and gas are mainly available for the construction of industries, while the rest of the required electricity and gas will be supplied with further development of industries. In this regard, Plug and Play Model has been proposed by CPEC Authority, which is being worked on. Under the model, all the requirements of the investors will be met through one window operation to ensure speedy construction of industries in these areas. At the same time, the Board of Investment is working on a portal to provide investors with information related to construction of industries, approvals from various institutions and other ancillary information, which will be launched soon.
The meeting was also informed that a comprehensive system has been launched to review the progress of projects under CPEC and to expedite the development work. In addition, steps are being taken to increase investment in SEZs by identifying export industries. In the agriculture sector, not only work on corporate farming is in full swing, but also agreements are being made to increase the exports of the sector.
The Prime Minister directed to complete all the steps related to CPEC Phase II within the stipulated time. The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Asad Umar, Hammad Azhar, Advisors Shaukat Fayyaz Tareen, Moeed Yousuf, Special Assistant Dr. Shahbaz Gill, Chairman CPEC Khalid Mansoor, Chairman Board of Investment Azfar Ahsan and relevant senior officers.