Like all other developing countries, illicit trade of tobacco in Pakistan causes huge losses to the national exchequer every year. The field formations of Federal Board of Revenue put their utmost efforts to curb the menace of production and trading of non duty paid & counterfeit tobacco products.
To address this issue, in the beginning of 2017, FBR established a dedicated unit viz. Inland Revenue Enforcement Network (IREN) tasked with countering the illicit production and trade of tobacco products.
It gives me satisfaction that IREN achieved its objective of enforcement of tax laws, serving as deterrence to the non-compliant players and brining them into the tax net.
IREN's operations have had a positive impact on the revenue collection from the cigarette industry and it is now poised to see a considerable growth thanks to the enforcement activities, IREN's contribution to the national tax effort are laudable and appreciated at the highest level.