LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Finance Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman has reiterated the government’s commitment to public relief by saying “We aim to present a balanced budget without imposing new taxes.
Our focus is on improving the collection of existing levies while protecting small businesses from undue pressure. Major defaulters should be the priority for recovery efforts.“
He was talking during the first meeting of the Resource Mobilization Committee for the fiscal year 2025–26 which was held at the Civil Secretariat under the chairmanship of Punjab Finance Minister.
He also emphasized curbing narcotics by discouraging manufacturers and distributors, and termed the transition in property tax valuation a beneficial reform for both government and taxpayers.
“The phased implementation of tax reforms is providing real relief to the people of Punjab,” he added.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Communication and Law Sohaib Ahmad Bharath, Minister for Transport Bilal Akbar Khan and senior officials from the Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA), Excise and Taxation Department, and Board of Revenue.
The session focused on reviewing existing revenue streams and exploring new avenues to enhance provincial resources in preparation for the upcoming budget.
During the meeting, DG Excise & Taxation Umar Sher Chattha briefed the committee, revealing that the department had achieved Rs42.685 billion in collections by the end of March — 75% of the annual target. He added that March alone witnessed a 27% increase in revenue compared to the same period last year, attributed to improved performance and policy reforms. The transition from Annual Rental Value to Capital Value for property tax assessment has also proven instrumental in boosting revenue.
PRA Chairman informed the committee that the authority had registered a 14% growth this year, collecting over Rs190 million to date. He highlighted the establishment of 15 new regional offices and the full-scale implementation of the Internal Revenue Information System (IRIS), modelled after the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Additionally, the PRA is proposing a “negative list” mechanism for sales tax on services, under which only explicitly exempted services would remain outside the tax net.
Minister for Communication and Law Sohaib Ahmad Bharath stressed the need to protect road infrastructure alongside vehicle tax collection. He called for a viable mechanism for the repair and maintenance of commercially used roads.
Minister for Transport Bilal Akbar Khan advocated tax incentives to promote electric vehicles and emphasized strengthening the Excise Department through enhanced HR support and shifting offices to dedicated departmental facilities.
The meeting concluded with unanimous consensus that sustainable resource mobilization must be driven by tax reforms, transparency, and an expanded tax base.
The first meeting of the Resource Mobilization Committee for the fiscal year 2025–26 was held at the Civil Secretariat under the chairmanship of Punjab Finance Minister.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Communication and Law Sohaib Ahmad Bharath, Minister for Transport Bilal Akbar Khan and senior officials from the Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA), Excise and Taxation Department, and Board of Revenue.
The session focused on reviewing existing revenue streams and exploring new avenues to enhance provincial resources in preparation for the upcoming budget.
During the meeting, DG Excise & Taxation Umar Sher Chattha briefed the committee, revealing that the department had achieved Rs42.685 billion in collections by the end of March — 75% of the annual target. He added that March alone witnessed a 27% increase in revenue compared to the same period last year, attributed to improved performance and policy reforms. The transition from Annual Rental Value to Capital Value for property tax assessment has also proven instrumental in boosting revenue.
PRA Chairman informed the committee that the authority had registered a 14% growth this year, collecting over Rs190 million to date. He highlighted the establishment of 15 new regional offices and the full-scale implementation of the Internal Revenue Information System (IRIS), modelled after the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Additionally, the PRA is proposing a “negative list” mechanism for sales tax on services, under which only explicitly exempted services would remain outside the tax net.
Speaking on the occasion, Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman reiterated the government’s commitment to public relief: “We aim to present a balanced budget without imposing new taxes. Our focus is on improving the collection of existing levies while protecting small businesses from undue pressure. Major defaulters should be the priority for recovery efforts.”
He also emphasized curbing narcotics by discouraging manufacturers and distributors, and termed the transition in property tax valuation a beneficial reform for both government and taxpayers.
“The phased implementation of tax reforms is providing real relief to the people of Punjab,” he added.
Minister for Communication and Law Sohaib Ahmad Bharath stressed the need to protect road infrastructure alongside vehicle tax collection. He called for a viable mechanism for the repair and maintenance of commercially used roads.
Minister for Transport Bilal Akbar Khan advocated tax incentives to promote electric vehicles and emphasized strengthening the Excise Department through enhanced HR support and shifting offices to dedicated departmental facilities.
The meeting concluded with unanimous consensus that sustainable resource mobilization must be driven by tax reforms, transparency, and an expanded tax base.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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