Karachi, January 10, 2025 – The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has successfully acquired detailed customer data for both pre-paid and post-paid telecom subscribers from all major telecom companies for the fiscal year 2023-24. This significant move is part of FBR’s ongoing effort to integrate third-party databases to enhance data accuracy and improve tax compliance across various sectors.
The FBR stated that the collection of this customer information forms a crucial component of its broader strategy to strengthen monitoring and ensure transparency in the financial ecosystem. By obtaining telecom data, the FBR aims to improve its ability to track high-value transactions, verify taxpayer information, and better target potential tax evaders.
The integration of third-party data into the FBR’s systems is progressing steadily across various sectors. A breakdown of the current status reveals the following updates:
• Telecom Data: The FBR receives monthly CSV files from telecom companies, including Zong, Ufone, Mobilink, and Telenor, containing data on both pre-paid and post-paid customers. This data is securely transferred via PRAL’s FTP server, enabling the FBR to effectively monitor telecom usage patterns and identify inconsistencies with declared incomes.
• Bank Data: The FBR also receives monthly data from banks, including details on cash withdrawals, deposits, credit card transactions, and profits earned on debt. This data is uploaded in Excel format via PRAL’s portal, providing the FBR with critical insights into the financial activities of individuals and businesses.
• AGPR Data: The FBR receives yearly salary data and monthly contractors’ data from the Account General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR), further enhancing its ability to track income sources and detect discrepancies.
• Excise Data: The FBR has access to excise data from the provincial excise departments (Sindh, Punjab, KPK) and federal excise, covering a five-year span from 2018 to 2022. Ongoing efforts are being made to integrate excise data from Sindh province online for better real-time monitoring.
• PITB Data: The FBR also receives monthly data on Punjab token taxes, downloaded in Excel format from the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) website, which contributes to more accurate vehicle tax assessments.
• BOR Sindh Data: Through online integration, the FBR receives valuable data on file and non-filer information, as well as payment verifications under sections 236C and 236K, from the Board of Revenue Sindh (BOR).
• DISCOs Data: The FBR’s integration with Distribution Companies (DISCOs) allows the agency to receive sales invoice data via APIs, facilitating more accurate energy consumption data tracking.
Through these various data integrations, the FBR continues to enhance its ability to track economic activities and ensure tax compliance, ultimately boosting revenue generation efforts for the government.