ISLAMABAD/GWADAR  -  Prime Minister Muham­mad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to formulate proposals for reducing government expenditures and over­hauling the country’s economic structure. 

He also directed to immediately initiate the process of complete digitization and automa­tion of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), which he himself would over­see. Chairing a high level meeting at the Prime Minister House soon af­ter his return from Gwa­dar, PM Shehbaz said that the world’s best model should be adopt­ed for the digitization of FBR to ensure trans­parency in its system, increase tax collection, halt tax evasion, cor­ruption and smuggling, and also to bring con­venience to the general public and the business community. 

The large taxpayers and the best perfor­mance officers of the FBR would be encour­aged and the black sheep would be brought to justice, he added. 

FBR Chairman Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana briefed the meeting about the steps taken to enhance tax collection; refunds’ payment to the exporters; expanding the tax net; automation pro­cess; stopping tax eva­sion, institutional cor­ruption and smuggling; and provision of quality services to the people. 

The prime minister, expressing dissatisfac­tion over the briefing, directed to immediately initiate process of com­plete digitization and automation of the FBR as per the international standards. “We should go ahead by learning lessons from the past as nothing can be changed by merely lamenting the mistakes,” he said. “We have to take up the challenge and find a way out to steer the country out of the debt trap.” He said that the country had no dearth of ca­pable people. “If we start our journey now, we can ultimate­ly achieve the goal of prosperity and development.” 

PM Shehbaz announced that efficient, honest and profession­al officers would be rewarded.

He also directed that efficient officers should be deployed in the track and trace system. 

He said the Ministry of Inte­rior would work with full force to stop smuggling for which the Pakistan Army would also support it fully. Appreciat­ing former caretaker finance minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar, secretary finance Imdad Ul­lah Bosal and their team, the prime minister said they had further cemented the founda­tion which his government had laid to save Pakistan from de­fault, with great efforts and shown good progress.

Addressing Dr Shamshad Akhtar, the prime minister said that he was very impressed with her merit policy. 

The FBR chairman said that during the current financial year, target for bringing 1.5 mil­lion more taxpayers into the tax net was on track. He said that legislation had been made for digitizing invoicing. The prime minister directed for its imme­diate implementation.

The meeting was also attended by Senator Musadik Malik, Ata Ullah Tarrar, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Rumina Khursheed Alam, Rana Mash­hood Ahmed Khan, Ahad Chee­ma, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr Jehanzaib, Gov­ernor State Bank of Pakistan and other high officials.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Shar­if on Tuesday unveiled a relief package for people of the rain-hit areas of Balochistan, an­nouncing Rs 2 million each for the families of the deceased, Rs 0.5 million for the injured, and Rs 750,000 for those whose houses were completely dam­aged. The prime minister who arrived here the very next day of his oath, told the media after visiting the rain-affected areas that the government would also give Rs350,000 compensation to the families whose houses were partially damaged in the stormy rains of February 26.

Accompanied by Chief Min­ister of Balochistan Sarfaraz Bugti, and parliamentarians in­cluding Atta Tarar and Jam Ka­mal Khan, he assured that the government would not leave the suffering people alone un­less they were resettled in their homes. In the briefing, he was told that five people were killed in the rain-related incidents across Balochistan, though no casualty was report­ed in Gwadar.

The prime minister sympa­thized with the bereaved fami­lies and assured that the com­pensation package would be implemented within four days.

The prime minister lauded Sarfaraz Bugti for his efforts as he rushed to the affected areas soon after his oath and super­vised the relief and rescue oper­ations. “This is not a favour. This is the duty of the newly-elect­ed government and me as the prime minister. This is neither any favor nor any show-off,” he remarked. 

Prime Minister Shehbaz also appreciated the personnel of the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, Coastal Guards, PDMA and NDMA for their efforts and rec­ommended the Chief Minister to award them medals and com­mendation certificates.

He recalled that following the 2022 floods, that time coalition government had distributed Rs 100 billion among the affected people across the country.

Earlier, the prime minister also distributed cheques and re­lief goods including food items, blankets, water coolers and oth­ers among the affected people.

Interacting with the victims, he said, “You are our brothers and sisters. I am here to assure you that the government will not leave you alone. We are with you. How could I sit in Islam­abad when you are homeless.”

The prime minister was told that water was receding and the situation in the cities was im­proving. It was told that water filtration plants had been set up and medicines have been avail­able for the homeless people.

PPP DELEGATION CALLS ON PM

A delegation of Pakistan Peo­ples Party led by former Pres­ident Asif Ali Zardari and par­ty Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wherein they assured the gov­ernment of the party’s sup­port for the country’s econom­ic stability.

The delegation, which also comprised Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah, congrat­ulated Shehbaz Sharif on as­suming the office of the prime minister and expressed good wishes for him.

Asif Ali Zardari assured the prime minister that the PPP would stand alongside the gov­ernment to achieve the econom­ic stability, progress and pros­perity of the country. 

Prime Minister Shehbaz thanked Allah Almighty as well as the people of Pakistan for giv­ing him another opportunity to serve Pakistan.

He also expressed gratitude to the coalition parties in the par­liament for reposing trust in him, reiterating his resolve to work tirelessly for the country’s progress and prosperity.

Senator Ishaq Dar, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar and former Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi also attend­ed the meeting.