World Bank plans several visits to FBR to review reform initiatives

The World Bank is planning several visits to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), between November 21 to December 2, 2016, to review reform initiatives including tax functions, tax audit, IRIS functional review, information technology, tax policy analysis and electronic monitoring of production/track and trace. Sources told Business Recorder here on Monday that in the context of implementing the work programme of the tax component of the Trust Fund for Accelerated Growth and Revenue (TAGR), the World Bank is planning visits to the FBR between November 21 to December 2, 2016.
The WB Mission members are Raul Junquera-Varela (Lead Public Sector Specialist, ITL), Muhammad Waheed (Senior Economist, Co TTL), Charles Blanco (Sr. Public Sector Specialist), Irum Touqeer (Public Sector Specialist), Joey Ghaleb (Sr. Public Sector Specialist), Bernard Haven (young professional) and Yesica Morales (research analyst).
According to the details, the World Bank mission on TAGR is meeting with FBR officers overseeing different operations/ functions and in this regard the mission is scheduled meetings with FBR members and senior officials.
The objectives of the WB team''s meetings included discussion on the process mapping report of the tax functions, the Information Communications Technology (ICT) work stream (key performance indicators, IRIS assessment, other), and training programme of the audit function, while the team would present the mid-year implementation report to concerned parties. Chairman FBR Nisar Muhammad Khan and WB Mission would discuss overall TAGR work plan and future agenda at FBR. The WB team would take feedback on IRIS functional review, at Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL), Head office Islamabad. The meeting would also discuss process mapping report (sales tax) at the FBR.
On November 23, FBR (Chief Audit) Najeeb Qadir and WB Mission would discuss process mapping report (audit) at FBR. Rana Seraat, Member Audit, FBR, and the Mission would discuss audit mentoring and training at FBR. Imran Latif Minhas, Chief HRM, FBR, will brief the mission on KPI Toolkit at FBR and feedback-IRIS functional review at PRAL, Islamabad.
The mission would also convene meetings on strategic plan of PRAL and KPI toolkit at PRAL, Islamabad. On November 28, the Mission will present the mid-year implementation report at FBR, Islamabad. Besides, audit mentoring and training at FBR, IRIS functional review at PRAL would be discussed. The WB team would share key findings at FBR House. On December 1, Muhammad Imran Amjad, CEO PRAL, and WB team would also discuss strategic plan of PRAL at PRAL office, Islamabad.