The Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Rashid Mahmood Langrial, cleared that FBR will purchase new vehicles despite the Senate Standing Committee Finance’s objections.
He highlighted the significance of vehicle purchasing in achieving the revenue target aimed for the fiscal year 2024-25.

Vehicles for FBR field officers:

The Chairman FBR attended the International Customs Day event in Karachi. He addressed the event and highlighted the need for these vehicles to achieve the revenue target. Langrial said that the decision to purchase these vehicles that cost Rs 6 billion is important. He strongly supported the FBR’s decision and rejected the objections of the Senate Standing Committee Finance.

While defending his move to purchase these vehicles, he said that these vehicles are the need of the young FBR officers in collecting the field taxes. He, however, said, “Officers need transport to visit sites and collect sales tax. Without this, achieving the revenue target for 2024-25 will be difficult.”

Also Read: Senate and FBR Clash Over Car Purchases for Officials

The Senate Standing Committee objected to the FBR’s decision to purchase 1,010 vehicles at this time. The Committee tried to convince FBR to stop this purchase due to the country’s financial instability, but FBR opposed the objections and stood on its stance.

Senate objections and FBR’s response:

Langrial said that the Senate Standing Committee on Finance has no issue with the purchase. The Committee has concerns about the procedures and the timing to implement the plan. He assured that the FBR will review the whole procedure and respond positively to the Committee’s concerns. In addition, he assures that these vehicles will only be given to the field officers. The vehicles will not be given to the stationed officers.

Live tracking system:

The Chairman of FBR also talked about the live tracking system. He said that the live tracking system in the vehicles is upgraded. The long-term tracking company’s contract is now terminated, and the new system will be in place within 2 to 3 months. He said that the new tracking system has advanced features that have advanced tracking sensors for vehicles and containers. He emphasized that the upgraded system would improve security and transparency in goods transportation.

Focus on Karachi as a Tax Hub:

Langrial said that Karachi is home to the headquarters of many businesses. It is the main tax collection center. When he was asked about the funds that are insufficient for the development of Karachi, he said that this is a constitutional matter and addressed in the Constitution.

Addressing housing sector and cement prices:

The chairman mentioned that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed a task force to address issues in the housing sector. Langrial said, “The main problem is high transaction taxes. We are reviewing this issue.” He also urged the Competition Commission of Pakistan to examine cement price hikes, which have affected the housing sector.

Modernizing Pakistan customs:

Langrial praised Pakistan Customs for its modernization efforts. He highlighted the successful implementation of systems like the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) and Faceless Customs Assessment (FCA). He said, “These systems have made trade faster, more transparent, and easier.” Moreover, these systems have improved export clearance times and increased revenue collection.