Dar Expands Reforms and Resource Mobilization Commission Once Again

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has included four new members in the Reforms and Resource Mobilization Commission (RRMC) to review tax policies, budget proposals, and amendments to the Finance Bill and suggest measures for resource mobilization. In this connection, the FBR issued a notification here on Tuesday. With the expansion, the total number of members of the RRMC now stands at 16. According to the notification, the finance minister has added the following new members: Abid Shaban, Advocate Supreme Court; Zeeshan Ejaz, FCA Partner, KPMG; Taha Baqai, Director Tax and Legal Services, PWC and Habibullah Khan, Ex-Member IR Operations, FBR. Other members of the PRMC, headed by Ashfaq Tola, include Asif Haroon, Haider Ali Patel, Abdul Qadir Memon, Dr Veqar Ahmed, Ziad Bashir, Saqib Sherazi, Ghazanfar Bilour, President FPCCI or his nominee, President Pakistan Tax Bar Association, Chairman FBR, member (Reforms and Modernization) FBR Secretary to the Commission, whereas, Nisar Muhammad-Customs, Dr Muhammad Iqbal-Income Tax, and Abdul Hameed Memon-Sales Tax have been included as subject experts. At the inaugural meeting of the RRMC held last month, the finance minister emphasized to the members to put their best efforts into the fast-track activity of the commission in introducing tax reforms. He highlighted the importance of the RRMC in identifying issues and difficulties in the existing taxation system and suggesting reforms in existing revenue policies for resource mobilization, ease of doing business, and taxpayer facilitation to achieve sustainable economic growth.