Karachi, July 1, 2025 — The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has officially declared India and Israel ineligible to participate in its ongoing international procurement process for audit-related services, reaffirming compliance with Pakistan’s federal policy directives.
The FBR, which operates as an attached department under the Revenue Division of the Government of Pakistan, has initiated the process of hiring independent services for the audit of Goods Declaration Service Charges (GDSC). The FBR clarified that while consultants of all nationalities are generally welcome to participate in such procurements, exceptions are made for countries whose participation is restricted under official government policy. India and Israel have been explicitly listed as ineligible.
This decision is aligned with Pakistan’s national procurement framework and reflects guidelines laid out by the Ministry of Interior under its Business-Friendly Countries List (BVL) policy. The FBR reiterated that such exclusions are not arbitrary but strictly based on federal government directives regarding international cooperation and trade sensitivities.
In the current procurement round, the FBR aims to engage the services of a reputable Chartered Accountancy firm for the audit of GDSC collections and disbursements by Pakistan Customs. This audit is mandated under Customs General Order (CGO) No. 04 of 2024, which requires annual audits of these accounts by independent firms to ensure financial transparency and accountability.
The audit will cover the financial years ending on June 30 from 2018 through 2025. These audits are critical, as the GDSC is collected under Section 18D of the Customs Act, 1969, and includes a service charge—initially Rs. 250 and later revised to Rs. 500 per Goods Declaration—levied for processing documents through the WeBOC system. The authority to manage and expend these service charges lies with the FBR under Section 203A of the same Act.
To ensure a transparent and competitive process, FBR has opted for open bidding for these audit services. The hiring of these auditing services is not only a statutory obligation but also a cornerstone of FBR’s ongoing commitment to good governance, transparency, and proper utilization of public funds.
By excluding India and Israel, the FBR emphasizes its adherence to federal policy while continuing to pursue high-quality, independent audit services for public financial accountability.