A Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) decision to scrutinise export income has been labelled a significant threat to Pakistan’s economic ambitions, with a prominent business leader warning it could jeopardise the prime minister’s Uraan Pakistan vision and discourage the nation’s exporters.
Khurram Ejaz, the Secretary General of the Businessmen Panel Progressive (BMPP) and a former Vice President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), today issued a statement expressing grave concern over the FBR’s directive.
He made a direct appeal to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Commerce Minister Jam Kamal, urging them to suspend the FBR circular issued on December 30, 2025, to alleviate the mounting anxiety within the export community.
Ejaz cautioned that such measures fundamentally undermine the government’s export-led growth strategy. ‘Without promoting exports, achieving these national targets will be extremely difficult,’ he remarked, highlighting the potential damage to the ‘Uraan Pakistan’ initiative.
He stressed the crucial role exporters play in supporting Pakistan’s economy and argued that instead of receiving relief, they are being subjected to discouraging policies. This approach, he warned, could compel many established exporters to cease operations and deter potential investors from entering the sector.
The business leader also pointed to the wider industrial landscape, where heavy taxation combined with soaring electricity and gas tariffs has already inflated production costs to unsustainable levels. ‘Setting up new industries has become nearly impossible, and even running existing ones is a struggle,’ Ejaz added.
He concluded that policies perceived as punitive will not only diminish the country”s export potential but also severely erode investor confidence, ultimately impeding Pakistan’s overall economic growth.