PM Shehbaz Sharif Orders Doubling of Appellate Tribunals to Expedite Tax Cases

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to increase the number of Appellate Tribunals from 50 to 100. The aim is to clear the backlog of tax cases and bring more affluent individuals into the tax net.

During a follow-up meeting with top Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials, the prime minister reviewed the performance of several delayed tax projects. This was part of a series of meetings aimed at accelerating the digitalisation of the tax system. He also ordered an increase in the number of Appellate Tribunals for Customs cases and the creation of a dashboard to monitor their performance.

A proposal to appoint an FBR deputy chairman to oversee the implementation of reforms was discussed, and a ministerial committee will review the idea before seeking the prime minister’s approval.

FBR officials reported that 83,579 tax-related cases, amounting to Rs3.2 trillion, are pending in various courts and tribunals. The government has made some progress, with courts disposing of 63 cases worth Rs44 billion in the last four months. Prime Minister Shehbaz instructed the FBR to hire top lawyers for high-value cases.

The meeting also included a briefing on the digitisation process overseen by McKinsey. The prime minister stressed the need to complete this process promptly. Advanced technology has identified 4.9 million potential taxpayers, and the prime minister emphasized prioritizing the taxation of wealthy individuals without burdening the underprivileged.