ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday described mounting external debt and low revenue generation as national security challenges while addressing a ceremony arranged by the country's tax collection body.
Inaugurating the track and trace system introduced by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to identify possible cases of tax evasion, the prime minister maintained Pakistan had not managed to develop a proper "tax culture."
He praised the people of the country for their generosity, saying that they paid a lot of money in charity and other philanthropic causes.
However, he also pointed out that many of them did not pay enough taxes since they did not trust the country's ruling elite which had an "ostentatious lifestyle."
Addressing the gathering in the federal capital, the prime minister said Pakistan had been taking huge loans to run its affairs since revenue collection was not easy.
"The FBR has to play a critical role since our survival depends on this institution," he said. "This has almost become a national security issue since we need this money for our children."
He pointed out the track and trace system was going to have far-reaching implications for the country's economy.
The prime minister said the system was being applied to the tobacco and sugar industries, though its application would soon be expanded to cement and fertilizer sectors as well.
Discussing the overall potential of revenue generation in Pakistan, he said he was convinced it was possible to generate Rs8 trillion in the country.
He also praised the FBR team for working diligently while pointing out that it could meet bigger targets in the future.
