NBR think tank in the offing

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is going to set up a 'Tax Information Management and Research Centre.'
On August 16, the NBR formed a committee with the director general of the Central Intelligence Cell as its head to work out the activities and jurisdiction of this centre, as proposed by the finance minister in his budget speech.
The committee was actually given two weeks' time for submitting its report by August 30. But in its first meeting on August 23, the committee members sought three months more to submit the report.
According to a member of the committee, the 'Tax Information Management and Research Centre ' will act as the think thank of the NBR.
Once set up, the centre will be able to provide more appropriate information to the NBR regarding any government decision on revenue matters.
“In every developed country of the world, there are such centres which help the government take decisions about revenue matters,” he said.
He said the centre will evaluate the tax measurers, particularly the facilities given to the taxpayers or industries.
NBR sources said the government decided to enhance the tax-GDP ratio, which is very poor in the country -- around 8, the lowest in the subcontinent.