Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb led a meeting on Friday to review progress on the digitalization of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in Pakistan. Key stakeholders including the FBR Chairman, Karandaaz CEO, and representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation participated in the discussion.
The meeting reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with the private sector and all relevant stakeholders to modernize Pakistan’s tax system. Finance Minister Aurangzeb emphasized that digitalizing the FBR is essential for not only improving tax collection and administration but also for promoting sustainable economic growth.
A significant outcome of the meeting was the approval of a proposal from global consulting firm McKinsey & Company to lead the digitalization project. Karandaaz Pakistan’s Director DFS, Sharjeel Murtaza, detailed the procurement process, which involved a rigorous technical evaluation by a committee comprised of senior FBR officials and Karandaaz technical experts. Following a thorough evaluation of technical and financial proposals, McKinsey & Company emerged as the top bidder.
Finance Minister Aurangzeb commended the selection committee for securing high-quality consulting services for this critical national project. He stressed the importance of achieving tangible results by leveraging existing digitalization knowledge and prioritizing early successes.
The meeting concluded with an agreement on next steps. Through collaboration between FBR and the private sector, the project aims to create a digitally empowered tax ecosystem for Pakistan.