LAHORE: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Saturday pledged to pursue tax evaders to run the economy, days after PPP Chair­man Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari criticised efforts to manage economic affairs “by force”.

Addressing the All Pakistan Chambers Conf­erence, Mr Aurangzeb said action against non-compliant sectors was not coercion but a response to demands from the business community.

“You asked us to go after non-compliance,” he said, adding that the formal sector and salaried class were bearing a disproportionate tax burden due to evasion by the informal economy.

He said several informal businesses, barring two tobacco companies, were evading taxes and some had been sealed for the first time.

On Dec 9, Mr Bhutto while talking to journalists in Lahore after meeting with the office-bearers and the members of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) had said economies could not be run by force and argued for a softer approach, competitive tax rates and respect for taxpayers to broaden the tax base.

The finance minister also announced plans to shut down the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco), calling it a hub of corruption.

He said its functions could be handled by the private sector as part of a push for private-led growth.

Talking about the NFC award, he said the continuous and meaningful dialogue between the government and the business community is essential. He said the Centre and provinces had agreed to form eight working groups, with progress expected by Jan 15.

The minister said the SBP had received $1.2bn from the International Monetary Fund and invited the private sector to participate in the privatisation of PIA.

He clarified that the IMF diagnostic and corruption assessment report was the result of a transparency process initiated by the government and did not target any specific administrations.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2025