ISLAMABAD, July 22: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Friday that the government would carry out further reform to simplify the tax system and increase its efficiency and transparency. Talking to Central Board of Revenue Chairman M. Abdullah Yousuf, the prime minister observed that though there had been an increase in tax collection, there was room for improvement.
The tax to gross domestic product ratio needed to be increased from the current nine per cent by broadening the tax base, he said.
The CBR chairman briefed the prime minister on the progress made by the department for achieving the objectives set by the government.
The prime minister assured the CBR chairman that the government was committed to providing resources for automation, training and improvement in the tax system.
Mr Aziz expressed the confidence that the buoyancy in the economy with the simplification of income tax procedure, sales tax reforms undertaken in the current budget and customs administration and reform efforts would lead to increase in tax collection.
He commended the CBR chairman for exceeding the collection target of Rs590 billion and observed that this was the result of not only the efforts of the employees of the department but also reforms initiated by the government.
The chairman apprised the prime minister of the department’s strategy to broaden the tax base and increase tax collection in the country.
