Peshawar  -   The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced a new initiative to combat tax fraud by offering cash rewards to individuals who report or identify tax evasion while ensuring their identities remain confidential.

Advisor to the Chief Minister for Finance, Muzammil Aslam, made this announcement during his visit to the headquarters of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority (KPRA). He emphasized that legal regulations for this reward system are in the final stages and will soon be implemented to encourage public involvement in reporting tax fraud.

Addressing KPRA officers, Aslam stated that strict action would be taken against individuals found guilty of tax fraud or evasion based on public reports. The cash reward amount for those who report such fraud will be determined and announced shortly.

Director General of KPRA, Fouzia Iqbal, welcomed Aslam and provided a detailed presentation on KPRA’s revenue collection for the first two months of the current financial year. KPRA has been assigned a revenue target of Rs. 47 billion for the fiscal year 2024-25, which is about 34% higher than the previous year’s target of Rs. 35 billion.

Aslam was informed that KPRA collected Rs. 7.17 billion in the first two months of this year, reflecting a 45% increase compared to the same period last year.

He praised the KPRA team for their efforts and expressed confidence that they would not only meet but exceed the revenue target. Aslam advised KPRA officers to focus on large taxpayers rather than small businesses and suggested that KPRA begin data sharing with revenue authorities in other provinces to enhance cooperation.

At the end of his visit, Aslam participated in a plantation campaign by planting a sapling in the KPRA headquarters’ lawn.