ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has canceled Saturday holidays for all its offices across Pakistan to meet the tax collection target for the fiscal year 2024-25.
According to details, the FBR has instructed all regional chief commissioners to treat Saturdays as regular working days until June 30, 2025, and to strictly follow official working hours.
This decision is part of a plan to increase tax collection and achieve financial goals. Sources say the FBR has directed all offices to focus on maximizing revenue, especially as the organization faces significant financial challenges.
Notably, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reduced Pakistan’s annual tax target from 12,970 billion rupees to 12,370 billion rupees. However, in the first nine months of the fiscal year, the FBR has faced a revenue shortfall of over 700 billion rupees, making this step necessary.
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An FBR spokesperson said the decision aims to stabilize the economy and protect the national treasury. However, some groups have called it added pressure on employees. The FBR has also directed all officers to improve performance and speed up the tax collection process.
Experts believe this step may temporarily boost revenue, but expanding the tax net and reforming the tax system are needed for a long-term solution.
