Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed the authorities concerned to formulate proposals for reducing government expenditures and overhauling the country's economic structure.

He was chairing a high level meeting at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad.

The Prime Minister also directed to immediately initiate the process of complete digitization and automation of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), which he himself would oversee.

He said the world's best model should be adopted for the digitization of FBR to ensure transparency in its system, increase tax collection, halt tax evasion, corruption and smuggling, and also to bring convenience to the general public and the business community.

Shehbaz Sharif said the large taxpayers and the best performance officers of the FBR would be encouraged and the black sheep would be brought to justice.

FBR Chairman Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana briefed the meeting about the steps taken to enhance tax collection; payment refunds to the exporters; expanding the tax net; automation process and oter measures. 

The prime minister, expressing dissatisfaction over the briefing, directed to immediately initiate process of complete digitization and automation of the FBR as per the international standards.

The Prime Minister said we have to take up the challenge and find a way out to steer the country out of the debt trap.

Shehbaz Sharif announced that efficient, honest and professional officers would be rewarded. He directed to appoint efficient officers in the track and trace system.

The Prime Minister said the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with Pakistan Army would work with full force to stop smuggling.

Appreciating former caretaker finance minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar, secretary finance Imdad Ullah Bosal and their team, the prime minister said they had further cemented the foundation which his government had laid to save Pakistan from default, with great efforts and shown good progress.