Karachi, November 19, 2025 – In a groundbreaking move to clamp down on tax evasion, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is rolling out high-tech video surveillance across retail outlets and manufacturing units, aiming to track sales, purchases, and production processes in real time.
This initiative marks one of the most aggressive measures by the FBR to monitor the supply chain and enforce compliance.
The FBR is now inviting applications from qualified software and IT companies to provide video surveillance systems, AI/ML-powered production monitoring solutions, and video analytics tools. Selected vendors will receive a three-year authorization under the Sales Tax Rules, 2006, allowing them to deploy advanced technology for electronic monitoring of goods listed in the Third Schedule of the Sales Tax Act, 1990, as well as any additional items notified by the FBR.
Under the new system, all production lines will be linked to the FBR’s Central Control Unit (CCU), enabling real-time monitoring of manufacturing processes. Key features include live video capture, object detection and counting, anomaly detection, and immediate reporting of production stoppages or irregularities. Production data will be securely transmitted, stored, and analyzed to ensure accurate tax assessment and prevent underreporting.
The FBR emphasizes that this sophisticated monitoring will not only track production volumes but also provide quantitative insights for enforcement and legal action against defaulters. Industry analysts warn that retailers and manufacturers must now brace for unprecedented scrutiny, as AI-powered surveillance promises to tighten the net on tax evaders and reshape compliance standards across Pakistan’s retail and manufacturing sectors.
With this bold step, the FBR is leveraging cutting-edge technology to ensure transparency, enhance revenue collection, and modernize tax administration like never before.