ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said on Thursday that Indian hackers had attacked the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR’s) website.
He revealed this while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, which met under the chair of Senator Talha Mahmood. He said that the attack on the website had come from India and a similar Indian attack had taken place in 2019.
“Such attacks by India will persist and Pakistan needs a permanent solution, our neighbour is an expert in doing such kinds of cyber-attacks and that the government has given punishment to those who deserve this.”
He also shared that Level One of the website had been hacked but the hackers had been unable to reach the database adding that if they had reached the data, it could be hacked.
The finance minister also said that the department has engaged international experts to place firewalls to prevent unauthorized access to its systems.
There are no experts and professionals in the FBR and the Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL) who can use technology and upgrade the IT systems and the FBR and the PRAL also need up-gradations of the systems, he added.
Tarin said there should not be any shortage of funds for the up-gradation of the systems. “I have asked the FBR to seek funds from the Ministry of Finance for this purpose and we have to protect the data at any cost.”
He assured the committee that the frivolous notices by the FBR to the business community would be withdrawn and that it will be able to integrate 100,000 retailers with the point of sale (POS) system. “The FBR will integrate another 100,000 to 150,000 retailers next year and will ensure the issuance of a standard receipt by retailers to their customers.”
Tarin said that action will be taken as per the law if they continue to refuse to undergo a third-party audit.
The Chairman Committee questioned the federal minister about what would be the economic relation with Afghanistan after the new government. He replied that the Afghanistan situation is uncertain. “We are evaluating the situation about the implications of the change that has taken place. The current situation in Afghanistan is not well received in the West”, he added.
The finance minister said that Pakistan will make a trade with Afghanistan in rupee instead of the dollar. The IMF and World Bank have stopped $450 billion from neighbouring country Afghanistan and certainly, the pressure would be increased on Pakistan. He also said that we can send different people to Afghanistan to run the affairs of Afghanistan and our trade with the neighbouring country will increase in the coming months.
While responding to member queries, the minister said that Pakistan will meet the 30 billion dollar export target.
The Chairman Committee also said that the value of the US dollar is close to 170 rupees and the business community is very worried. On which the finance minister replied that SBP is working on it. The central bank will have to determine the level of the dollar.
The finance minister mentioned that the Successful Pakistan Program would be launched by the last week of September and would start from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
