It goes without saying that taxes are the backbone of the economy. The incumbent government and FBR have worked hard to broaden the tax base and achieved positive results in this regard. A major issue hampering revenue collection and incurring loss to the national exchequer is the illicit trade of cigarettes. The FBR has always strived to achieve the highest levels of fair play and healthy competition amongst various players in each industry. The Inland Revenue Enforcement Network (IREN) was formed to combat the menace of illicit trade in cigarettes and to provide a level playing field to all players of the industry. The work done by IREN in its first year of operations is highly commendable and will serve as a benchmark for the task force in the years to come. It brings me immense pleasure to congratulate IREN on the successful completion of its first year in operation and wish them all the best for the future.