Despite the Senate Standing Committee’s directive to cancel the purchase of 1,010 new cars for tax officers, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Langrial has confirmed that the purchase will proceed. He argued that the vehicles are essential for the operational needs of young officers and are necessary to meet the FBR’s tax collection goals.
Langrial addressed concerns raised by the Senate committee, stating that these had been resolved and reaffirming the FBR’s commitment to meeting its revenue targets. He also pointed out that the FBR had not yet started forecasting or predicting tax figures.
Regarding cement prices, Langrial suggested the competition commission take appropriate action. On Karachi’s tax collection, he highlighted the cityโs status as the base for major corporations, which contributes significantly to tax revenue.
Additionally, Langrial announced that a vehicle tracking system would be implemented in trucks and other vehicles within the next few months.
The Senate committee had previously instructed the FBR to halt the Rs6 billion vehicle purchase, citing concerns over the Rs386 billion tax shortfall. Committee member Faisal Vawda threatened to escalate the matter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) if the purchase proceeded.
In response, the FBR defended its decision, stating that providing vehicles to officers in grades 17 and 18 would enhance revenue collection by improving enforcement. They questioned whether computers could conduct raids or inspect unregistered businesses.
Despite the Senateโs opposition, the FBR assured the committee that the vehicles would only be allocated to field officers and not to those at the headquarters.
