ISLAMABAD: Federal Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar has restrained the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) from releasing any kinds of figures to the media.
According to sources, Dar has directed that no officer will be allowed to share revenue collection figures with the media without prior permission from the higher authorities.
Sources told Customs Today that the finance minister has expressed displeasure over the news which shows the FBR figures. Sources said that Pakistan is still in IMF program and the government is not interested in disclosing revenue collection and other budgetary figures at this stage through media which had been set during the last financial year (2016-17).
International donor agencies including IMF and world Bank already criticizing on government regarding their tax revenue and other economic policies and gap between import and exports is widening.
Finance minister believed that the figures showing by media can create problems and international financial institutions pressure through criticism on government can be increased, therefore, it has been decided that FBR will not release any kind of figures without the permission of finance minister.
