The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has planned to purchase 155 luxury vehicles, at a cost of over Rs1.6 billion, in the name of taxpayers’ facilitation out of a World Bank loan meant to upgrade its outdated information technology system, Express Tribune reported on Thursday.
According to official documents, the estimated cost of Rs1.63 billion for the purchase of luxury vehicles is equal to 8.6 percent of the funds that the FBR had secured for the upgradation of its outdated hardware and software. World Bank loan will be used to buy these luxury vehicles in the name of taxpayers’ facilitation.
Documents showed that the Federal Board of Revenue is going to procure 155 vehicles of 1,500 cc to 3,000 cc. However, the board has not explained the make of the vehicles in documents.
According to the documents, the vehicles will be distributed among all the field formations. The maximum number of vehicles, nine each, will be given to the regional tax offices situated in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. A few regional offices, like Peshawar, Quetta and Rawalpindi will get eight vehicles each.
As per details, out of the Rs19.6 billion that the FBR has demanded, Rs1.63 billion will be spent on the purchase of these luxury vehicles. However, in a meeting held recently, the planning ministry opposed the purchase of vehicles. Another meeting is scheduled for today to acquire the ministry’s approval for buying vehicles.
The Federal Board of Revenue is looking forward to the purchase of luxury vehicles despite the fact that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced plans to implement an austerity policy due to the worst economic conditions in the country.
Last week, a national austerity committee also recommended that the prime minister ban the purchase of all types of vehicles until June 2024.
According to official documents, the estimated cost of Rs1.63 billion for the purchase of luxury vehicles is equal to 8.6 percent of the funds that the FBR had secured for the upgradation of its outdated hardware and software. World Bank loan will be used to buy these luxury vehicles in the name of taxpayers’ facilitation.
Documents showed that the Federal Board of Revenue is going to procure 155 vehicles of 1,500 cc to 3,000 cc. However, the board has not explained the make of the vehicles in documents.
According to the documents, the vehicles will be distributed among all the field formations. The maximum number of vehicles, nine each, will be given to the regional tax offices situated in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. A few regional offices, like Peshawar, Quetta and Rawalpindi will get eight vehicles each.
As per details, out of the Rs19.6 billion that the FBR has demanded, Rs1.63 billion will be spent on the purchase of these luxury vehicles. However, in a meeting held recently, the planning ministry opposed the purchase of vehicles. Another meeting is scheduled for today to acquire the ministry’s approval for buying vehicles.
The Federal Board of Revenue is looking forward to the purchase of luxury vehicles despite the fact that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced plans to implement an austerity policy due to the worst economic conditions in the country.
Last week, a national austerity committee also recommended that the prime minister ban the purchase of all types of vehicles until June 2024.