ISLAMABAD - Muhammad Munir Afsar, Chairman NADRA, has said that the business community should cooperate in expanding the tax base of the country, as National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) are in collaboration to expand the tax base and register new taxpayers to improve the tax revenue.
He said this while talking to a delegation of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) that called on him led by Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President ICCI. Muhammad Munir Afsar briefed the business community about the key initiatives of NADRA to facilitate the citizens. He said that NADRA e-Sahulat is a low-cost eservices platform, which provides a secure payment and collection facility to the citizens. This network consists of over 17,000 active franchisees connected with telcos and banks and employing thousands of youths besides adding revenue to retailers’ income. Speaking on the occasion, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, lauded the efforts of NADRA to promote digitalization in Pakistan. He said that NADRA has already set up its Facilitation Desks in Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry to provide its services to the business community and NADRA should also set up its Facilitation Desk in ICCI so that ICCI members can avail NADRA’s services under one roof in Chamber. He said that FBR is putting more burden on the existing taxpayers and assured that the business community would cooperate to broaden the tax base. Faad Waheed, Senior Vice President ICCI, proposed that NADRA should maintain a database of suppliers and vendors that would help in promoting business activities. Engr. Azhar ul Islam Zafar, Vice President of ICCI, said that Pakistan needs to promote e-governance to provide efficient services to the citizens, and the role of NADRA in realizing this goal is very important. Khalid Iqbal Malik, Group Leader ICCI, said that NADRA has successfully delivered international projects for Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan, Fiji, and Somalia and the business community feels proud of its good performance.