ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Asim Ahmad on Wednesday said that the IT industry should expect good news in the upcoming federal budget, scheduled to be announced on Friday.

He was speaking at the contract signing of the development and implementation of the One Window Portal System by the Special Technology Zones Authority (STZA).

He said that being the apex revenue collection body of the government, the FBR has a strategic role in providing a business-friendly environment.

“The STZA One Window Portal will facilitate local and foreign investors. It will also be integrated on a real-time basis with FBR and Customs systems,” Mr Ahmed said.

STZA launches one-window portal

The FBR chairman added that the tax collecting body was committed to providing all the requisite support to STZA in this regard, and a working group has been constituted and work with PRAL and PSW is already in progress.

The STZA was set up as an autonomous body, under the Cabinet Division to provide legislative and institutional support for the development of Pakistan’s technology sector.

STZA holds an innovative and futuristic mandate to set up special technology zones (STZs) for various technologies, including IT, across the country.

The One Window Portal will be a digital system to facilitate STZA licensed companies in the Special Technology Zones (STZs), Systems Limited and the STZA.

The facility will enable companies to be digitally on-boarded and will connect them with various government and regulatory agencies.

It is expected that the facility will also help promote transparency, improve the ease of doing business and facilitate Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Pakistan.

The One-Window Portal is a key component of the STZA’s overall vision of developing a scientific and technological ecosystem through the development of zones to accelerate technology development in the country.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2022