Finance Adviser to discuss NBR reforms with officials Tuesday
Staff Correspondent
Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed will sit with the National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials to discuss its reform issues on Tuesday.
The meeting will start at 3:30 pm at the Finance Ministry on Tuesday, said Al Amin Sheikh, public relations officer of NBR.
Besides, a six-hour fresh pen-down strike enforced by the NBR Reform Unity Council was observed on Sunday to press home their demands for sustainable and inclusive NBR reform.
The Council’s key demands include the immediate withdrawal of the proposed Revenue Ordinance, public disclosure of the NBR Reform Advisory Committee’s report and a comprehensive reform of the revenue system through meaningful consultations with stakeholders like NBR officials, business associations, civil society members and political leaders.
The Unity Council emphasised their desire for a peaceful resolution through dialogue with the government.
“We hope the government will sit down with us for discussions. Let us make it clear—our door for dialogue has always been open, remains open and will continue to remain open,” said a statement on Saturday.
Earlier on Saturday, a five-hour pen-down strike was spontaneously observed from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm across various offices under the Customs, VAT and Tax departments, as well as the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
Officials and employees at all levels participated in the programme, with stakeholders from various sectors expressing solidarity with the movement.
In their statement, the Council reiterated that a timely and sustainable reform of the revenue system is essential for national interest.
They noted that NBR officials have long been demanding such reforms and yet the government issued the ordinance without consulting the very stakeholders responsible for its implementation.
Besides, the report from the reform committee formed by the government has not been made public or discussed.
According to the Council, such a top-down approach to reform could severely destabilise the country’s revenue administration.
