Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken note of a proposal to authorise arrests of traders involved in tax fraud, following growing concerns expressed by the country’s business community.
The issue was discussed during a high-level meeting chaired by the prime minister on Monday. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and senior legal officials were present.
According to officials familiar with the discussions, the finance bill includes a provision that would allow the FBR to arrest individuals involved in tax fraud, with penalties extending up to 10 years in prison.
The move has drawn criticism from Pakistan’s business community. The Pakistan Business Council formally wrote to the prime minister, urging a review of the FBR’s proposed enforcement powers.
Sources said the prime minister was briefed on the potential legal and economic implications of the measure and has requested further deliberations before any final decision is made.
The FBR claims the powers are necessary to tackle persistent tax evasion, which continues to hamper the country’s revenue collection. However, critics and business community members argue that such powers, if unchecked, could be misused and damage business confidence.
Moreover, chairing a review meeting on the development of the IT training ecosystem, the prime minister emphasised the need to equip the country’s youth with advanced skills to drive local transformation and boost employment.
He said that training programmes should be aligned with market needs to ensure young people are employable both domestically and internationally.
Sharif added that efforts would be made to ensure a steady supply of skilled IT professionals to local firms, enabling them to meet global standards and contribute to foreign exchange earnings.