The Federal Board of Revenue has agreed to establish joint tax facilitation committees with leading business organizations to address taxpayer grievances, improve tax related processes and strengthen direct engagement between tax authorities and the private sector. The decision follows directives from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and is intended to create a more structured mechanism through which businesses can raise concerns and seek timely resolution of issues affecting their operations.
The agreement was reached during a meeting in Karachi between Federal Board of Revenue Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial and senior delegations representing the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Pakistan Business Council. The meeting was convened on the instructions of the prime minister as part of efforts to improve coordination between the government’s tax administration and the business community. Discussions covered several areas affecting taxpayers, including compliance requirements, pending refunds, administrative processes and complaints concerning the treatment of businesses by tax officials.
Under the agreed framework, the proposed committees will include senior officials from the Federal Board of Revenue as well as representatives of the business community. Their primary purpose will be to accelerate the resolution of pending taxpayer issues and improve the efficiency of tax related workflows. The committees are also expected to provide a more permanent structure for consultation between tax authorities and private sector representatives, allowing businesses to raise operational and policy concerns through regular institutional engagement rather than relying only on individual complaints or separate meetings.
The meeting also placed particular emphasis on reducing compliance hurdles faced by businesses. Representatives from the business community raised concerns regarding pending tax refunds and other issues that can affect cash flows and day to day business operations. The discussions also addressed complaints of taxpayer harassment. Rashid Mahmood Langrial directed tax officials to ensure fair treatment of taxpayers and made it clear that legitimate businesses should not face harassment during their dealings with the tax administration. The chairman also issued on the spot instructions regarding several matters raised by business representatives during the meeting.
The Federal Board of Revenue and business groups further agreed to strengthen transparency through greater interaction between senior officials and private sector representatives. Under the proposed approach, senior members of the Federal Board of Revenue’s operations structure and other senior officials in Karachi will maintain continuous oversight of the engagement process. This is intended to ensure that concerns raised through the joint committees are followed up and that agreed actions do not remain unresolved after initial discussions.
The involvement of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Pakistan Business Council gives the proposed mechanism representation from major sections of the business community. Both organizations welcomed the prime minister’s initiative and expressed confidence that stronger coordination with the tax authorities could contribute to improvements in the wider business environment. Their participation is also expected to provide a channel for consolidating concerns raised by businesses across different sectors and presenting them directly to senior tax officials.
For the Federal Board of Revenue, the committees could provide an additional mechanism for identifying recurring problems within tax administration and addressing them through direct consultation with taxpayers. Issues such as refund delays, compliance procedures and interactions between businesses and tax officials can have a direct impact on the cost and ease of doing business. Greater communication between the tax authority and private sector could therefore help identify administrative bottlenecks while giving businesses a clearer channel for raising concerns.
The initiative comes as the government continues to focus on improving tax administration and strengthening engagement with the private sector. By bringing tax officials and business representatives together through formal joint committees, the government aims to create a more consistent process for resolving taxpayer grievances and improving the implementation of tax procedures.
The latest agreement also places greater emphasis on accountability within the tax administration. The direction from the Federal Board of Revenue chairman regarding fair treatment of taxpayers, combined with continued oversight by senior officials, is intended to address concerns about taxpayer interactions while maintaining the authority’s focus on compliance and revenue collection.
Representatives of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Pakistan Business Council said closer coordination between businesses and tax authorities could improve the operating environment for companies and contribute to economic growth. The proposed committees will now serve as a platform for continued engagement, with the Federal Board of Revenue and business groups expected to work together on pending grievances, tax process improvements and broader issues affecting private sector activity.
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