Islamabad, July 7, 2025 – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has lauded the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for their extraordinary collaboration that led to a historic recovery of Rs178 billion through anti-tax evasion and anti-hoarding operations.
Addressing a briefing session on Monday, PM Shehbaz praised the coordinated efforts of the FBR and IB in tackling long-standing issues of tax evasion and illegal stockpiling. He emphasized that economic stability in Pakistan is only possible through continued cooperation among all key institutions. “The success achieved by the FBR and IB is a clear indication that joint national efforts can deliver substantial results,” the premier said.
The Prime Minister was presented with a detailed report compiled jointly by the FBR and IB outlining their recent actions. The report revealed that the recovery of Rs178 billion came through a combination of enhanced tax enforcement, audits, raids, and industry-specific interventions.
According to the FBR-IB report, Rs69 billion of the total recovery was generated through efforts targeting outstanding dues in the telecom sector and tax discrepancies during major corporate mergers. The IB, working alongside FBR enforcement teams, carried out 515 high-impact raids across sectors including sugar, beverages, cement, edible oil, tobacco, and animal feed. These efforts resulted in the collection of an additional Rs10.5 billion in taxes by stopping tax evasion at source.
In parallel, to counter hoarding and the manipulation of market prices, the IB spearheaded over 13,000 targeted operations in critical sectors such as sugar, fertilizer, and wheat. These raids, many conducted jointly with the FBR, led to the seizure of hoarded goods worth more than Rs99 billion since April 2022.
The Prime Minister commended both the FBR and IB for their intelligence-based approach and called for further strengthening of inter-agency coordination. He urged continued vigilance to ensure the momentum of national tax reforms is maintained. “The partnership between FBR and IB must serve as a model for all government departments aiming to serve the public interest and boost Pakistan’s economic strength,” Shehbaz concluded.
The significant recovery marks one of the largest joint operations in recent years, underscoring the growing effectiveness of cooperation between the FBR and IB.