Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday announced that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected more than Rs13 trillion in taxes during the last fiscal year, describing it as the highest annual revenue collection ever achieved in Pakistan. Speaking at the FBR headquarters, where he addressed the chairman, board members, chief commissioners and chief collectors, the finance minister said the milestone reflected the impact of tax reforms introduced over the past two and a half years.
Prime Minister Congratulates FBR Officials
Aurangzeb said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had congratulated FBR officials on the achievement and would soon meet them to acknowledge their contribution to improving the country's tax administration. Highlighting the progress made, he noted that annual tax collections stood at around Rs6 trillion when the reform agenda began and have now surpassed Rs13 trillion, representing a significant increase within a relatively short period.
Fiscal Deficit at Record Low, Primary Surplus at Historic High
The finance minister also stated that Pakistan's fiscal deficit had declined to its lowest level on record, while the country's primary fiscal surplus had reached a historic high. He attributed the improvement to stronger revenue generation and tighter control over public expenditure.
Record Tax Refunds Disbursed
He added that the FBR issued nearly Rs600 billion in tax refunds during the fiscal year, a 21% increase compared with the previous year. According to Aurangzeb, refunds worth Rs13.5 billion were processed on June 30 alone, marking the highest single-day refund disbursement in the country's history. The figures and fiscal performance cited by the finance minister represent the government's official position and have not been independently verified.
