QUETTA: The Balochistan Revenue Authority (BRA) collected record Rs11 billion in sales tax revenue on services during the last fiscal year.

The provincial revenue authority’s collections increased by 22 per cent to Rs11bn from Rs9bn in FY18 after the introduction of online tax collection service.

Balochistan’s Finance Minister Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi disclosed the numbers while speaking at a conference held in Gwadar regarding revenue and tax collection on Sunday. He said that technical assistance from Governance and Policy Project, Balochistan (GPPB), the revenue authority was successful in exceeding the target.

"The revenue of Rs11bn has been collected by the BRA this year through sales tax on services," he said.

The conference was organised by the revenue authority jointly with the GPPB at Gwadar. Delegations from Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa’s revenue authorities also attended the event.

The former secretary finance and member National Finance Commission from Balochistan Mahfooz Ali Khan also spoke at the event about the tax and revenue collection.

“Present government of Balochistan has been working hard to bring changes through policy reforms. Balochistan has taken every possible step to utilise all available resources for the welfare of the common man,” Mir Buledi said.

He also appreciated China’s investment in infrastructure and social sectors of the province.

Talking about the BRA initiatives, Bueldi said the basic purpose of the revenue authority is tax collection and it has achieved reasonable success in this regard.

Buledi also highlighted the tax collection mechanism, public financial management and public investment management, planning and commission, tax net, cross-border transactions, and sales tax and matters related to finance.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2019