MULTAN: The Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has voiced serious concerns over persistent technical glitches in the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) IRIS portal, urging Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take immediate notice.
In a formal communication to the Prime Minister, MCCI highlighted that the IRIS system’s restriction of the Unit of Measurement (UOM) to only “Kilograms” is impractical for many industries operating in South Punjab, including pharmaceuticals, footwear, chemicals, and wholesale traders who use litres, metres, or pieces as standard units.
The Chamber stated that such technical flaws show a lack of understanding of business diversity and are creating severe difficulties for tax-compliant businesses trying to file their sales tax returns. Despite FBR’s assurance on March 20, 2025, that the issue would be addressed, no progress has been made. MCCI expressed disappointment over the indifferent attitude of the Regional Tax Office (RTO) Multan, which has failed to provide any effective solution.
The Chamber warned that businesses are being penalized for issues caused solely by a faulty system, which is eroding trust between the government and the business community. MCCI further emphasized that such inefficiencies at a time when the economy needs stability are unacceptable and will damage efforts to improve the ease of doing business.
The Chamber called for urgent resolution of the technical issues, accountability of responsible officials, and the establishment of a professional mechanism for regular engagement between the FBR and business stakeholders. It concluded by expressing hope that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would intervene without further delay to protect the interests of Pakistan’s business community and economy.
