FATA reforms and merger of tribal areas into KP to be completed in phased manner: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday said that the government is working on a multipronged strategy to reform the country’s tax structure.

Sharing some details at Pakistan Economic Forum in Islamabad , he said the government has planned to lower the tax slabs for the individual taxpayers.

He said minimum threshold of taxable income will also be increased and one time tax amnesty scheme will also be announced.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said enhancing tax collection is vital to provide incentives and services to the people of the country.

He said we need to achieve exports above fifty and sixty billion dollars.

He said over the last four and a half years, overall law and order situation has improved to a great extent due to the sacrifices rendered by security forces of the country. He said despite political instability and turmoil, the energy crisis has been resolved.

The Prime Minister said we gave an incentive package to the exporters but more needs to be done to make our industries competitive.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that multi billion dollars China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project throws a great opportunity in the way of Pakistan. He was confident that special economic zones under the corridor project will generate economic activities in the country.

Meanwhile, talking to PML-N office bearers of tribal agencies, the Prime Minister has said that development of tribal areas is the foremost priority of the government.

He said it is the first time in the country’s history that the present government took serious and practical steps for the resolution of problems faced by the tribal people.

On the merger of FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Prime Minister said that FATA reforms and the process of merger should be completed in a phased manner.

He said promotion of development activities in tribal areas is important to bring them into the national mainstream.