FBR chairman assures LCCI of maximum facilitation to business community

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th May, 2026) Federal board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial and Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigol discussed key taxation, industrial and business-related issues along with the upcoming federal budget proposals submitted by the Lahore chamber.

The LCCI spokesman told the media here on Sunday that during the meeting, the FBR chairman informed the LCCI president that he would visit Lahore chamber before the announcement of the federal budget to brief the business community on the evolving role of the FBR in policy implementation and facilitation. "In its new role the FBR will facilitate the buiness community to the maximum", he assured.

Rashid Mahmood Langrial said that in its new role, the FBR would focus on facilitating the business community while ensuring effective implementation of tax policies.

While Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol briefed the FBR Chairman on the major challenges being faced by trade and industry and presented detailed budget proposals aimed at reducing the cost of doing business, promoting industrial growth and improving the taxation system.

The proposals stressed the need to end policy instability caused by frequent SROs and changing tax interpretations, stating that unpredictability in policies had become one of the major causes of de-industrialization. He also emphasized the need to reduce the cost of doing business that is significantly higher than competing regional economies.

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The Lahore Chamber also called for a sector-wise tariff structure to protect domestic industries operating under higher production costs, restoration of a simple and predictable Final Tax Regime (FTR) for exporters, and introduction of a fixed tax regime for traders to help broaden the tax base.

The budget proposals further recommended uniform tariff and tax treatment across all regions including FATA and PATA, gradual removal of advance taxes and shifting taxation towards the sales stage to simplify the system.

To curb misuse while supporting genuine exporters, the Chamber proposed strengthening the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS) through real-time data sharing and post-clearance audits.

The Lahore Chamber also urged the government to diversify exports and support value-added and capital goods sectors, besides declaring a vocational training emergency with industry-linked and skills-focused programmes. It also recommended redirecting vocational training funds toward practical skill development and promoting IT, digital services and modern industrial skills.

Among other proposals, the Chamber suggested allowing third-country trade transactions through SBP regulatory reforms and addressing the 18 percent sales tax disparity on packaged dairy and meat products, stating that the current taxation structure discourages hygienic processed food products while untaxed unpackaged products continue to dominate the market.