Corruption, incompetence in FBR caused Rs1 trillion revenue losses.

ISLAMABAD -- The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday admitted in the Senate that the reported corruption and incompetence of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) cost around Rs 1000 billion in the revenue loss to the national exchequer.

Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Senator Azam Khan Swati made these remarks in the House while taking part in the budget debate.

The Minister severely criticised the FBR, a federal government body responsible for levying and collection of federal duties and taxes, and remarked, 'It is the most corrupt institution in the history of country.'

He said that he had made similar remarks during a cabinet meeting and Prime Minister was 'very kind' to endorse his views. 'Yes, it is 100 per cent corrupt and that is why we are going for automation,' he said while quoting PM.

Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani while endorsing Swati's remarks against FBR said that it was true.

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The minister alleged that even FBR officials were not making tax collections for the state but for themselves and this practice needed to be stopped.

On this, Sanjrani reminded the minister who is also a senior leader of the ruling party that he was in the government.

But the Narcotics Minister went on to state that majority of people in FBR were 'extremely corrupt' and re-emphasized that even an inspector of the board was making so much money that every Cabinet member was worried about it. He demanded of the government to go for automation to purge the institution of corruption and to increase revenue collection.

Swati said that expansion in tax base was the key to take the people and the country forward.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmad said that the minister's remarks that FBR's corruption and incompetence were costing Rs 1000 billion in the revenue loss were very serious and asked whether any senior officer from the board was present in the gallery to hear this?

On this, Chairman Senate passed a ruling stating that FBR Chairperson and its three members including policy, Customs and Income Tax must be present in the house before the session commences on Wednesday.

Earlier, former Chairman Senate and PPP Senator Mian Raza Rabbani taking part in the budget debate said that this budget has nothing for the common man.

'It is not the real budget, the actual budget has been made and kept with the International Monetary Fund (IMF),' he...