ISLAMABAD – Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has clarified that the newly granted powers to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) are focused on curbing major tax fraud and will not affect small or regular income taxpayers.
Speaking at a business forum in Islamabad, the minister termed the criticism surrounding these powers as “unnecessary propaganda.” He assured that the measures only apply in cases involving tax evasion of over Rs50 million and are mainly targeted at sales tax fraud.
“These new powers are not linked to income tax or aimed at ordinary citizens,” Aurangzeb said, adding that the government is committed to transparency and accountability in the tax system.
He also highlighted that safeguards have been included in the new policy. No arrests can be made without a court warrant, and action can only be taken after approval from a special FBR committee. Arrests will only be considered in cases where someone ignores multiple notices or is found tampering with evidence.
Aurangzeb further explained that the government has separated the tax policy wing from the FBR to reduce human interference and ensure fair tax procedures. He also announced plans to hold sessions with business groups to explain the reforms and address concerns.
The minister reaffirmed that these steps are part of broader fiscal reforms aligned with IMF recommendations and are designed to improve revenue collection without burdening honest taxpayers.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.