Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb announced that the Pakistani government is set to finalise an action plan by 31 December 2025 to implement the 15 key recommendations of the International Monetary Fund’s Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment report. Speaking in the National Assembly in response to a calling attention notice by MNA Syed Hafeezuddin, Aurangzeb said work on the recommendations is already underway, with a report due by the end of the month. He clarified that the IMF’s assessment highlighted structural deficiencies across 22 countries, including the UK and Switzerland, not only Pakistan.
Addressing tax revenue, the minister noted that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected 27 percent more in the current financial year compared to the previous one. The tax-to-GDP ratio, which stood at 10.3 percent last year, is projected to reach 11 percent this year. Aurangzeb highlighted that the FBR achieved a historic Rs11.7 trillion collection in the last fiscal year, up from Rs9.3 trillion the previous year, marking a Rs2.5 trillion increase and robust 27 percent growth. Income tax rose by 28 percent, sales tax by 26 percent, federal excise duty by 33 percent, and customs duty by 16 percent.
The minister emphasised that Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio has finally improved after several years, rising from 8.5 percent in FY 2023-24 to 10.3 percent last year. Additional recent gains of Rs200 billion were highlighted, along with around 400,000 non-null tax returns filed. Monitoring and enforcement efforts have been strengthened, with the sugar sector contributing Rs7 billion more in tax in July 2025 compared to November 2024. Aurangzeb noted that attention is now on the tobacco and textile sectors, warning, “Wherever tax is not collected, the government will take action.”
In health initiatives, Minister for National Health Services Mustafa Kamal informed the assembly that barcodes will be affixed to all medicines to prevent counterfeit sales. These barcodes, accessible via a mobile app, will provide price and expiry details, supported by a dedicated helpline for complaints. The government is also developing the Universal Medical Record project to maintain medical data for all citizens, with the CNIC number serving as the Medical Record Number and a command centre being established at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad. Kamal noted that cervical cancer claims over 5,000 lives annually in Pakistan and that the vaccine has been added to the national immunisation programme.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain stated that agricultural reforms are underway, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif prioritising agriculture and food security. The State Bank of Pakistan has instructed banks to provide loans to farmers, while Sindh and other provinces are offering subsidies to support the sector.
This comprehensive approach highlights the government’s focus on economic growth, governance reforms, public health, and agricultural sustainability, aiming to strengthen Pakistan’s institutional and developmental framework.
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