The prime minister’s Advisor on Institutional Reforms and Austerity Dr Ishrat Husain was right, at a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, to point out that the number of tax filers had risen yet tax collection had declined, which meant that the country would not only continue to face high deficits but would also remain dependent on financing from institutional donors like the International Monetary Fund (IMF). There’s nothing new in what the able advisor has pointed out, except perhaps the fact that the number of filers has actually increased, and it is somewhat surprising that he should still be saying all this two years into the present government’s tenure. That is because FBR (Federal Board of Revenue) reforms was very high on Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf’s (PTI’s) agenda. And the way the new government went about toggling FBR chairmen gave a lot of people the impression that serious reforms might really be round the corner. Yet it eventually found out, as it did about so many other things, that simply moving a few pieces on the board does not exactly ensure reforms, especially when an up-down overhaul is needed. Despite the stops and starts, though, hopes were once again raised six months ago when the World Bank doled out $80 million for reforming the tax collection body. It was not only something that was desperately needed, but also necessary to keep the IMF’s tap flowing since it was one of the more important requirements of the structural adjustment program. The idea now is to start the process with a digitisation drive to introduce 21st century working standards to the FBR. Among other things, such exercises will minimise interaction between taxpayers and tax collectors. And since that is where most of the palms are greased and all the numbers are fudged, etc, it could and should go a long way towards plugging one of the more troublesome leakages in the revenue stream. There is also a program to replace some of the existing workforce with more professional human resource, which should also control political interference and corruption to a large degree. Yet, credible as Dr Ishrat Husain’s argument was, senior members of the Standing Committee were also justified in expressing some frustration at the long time the whole process is taking. So much time has passed yet the government’s side keeps talking about all the problems with tax collection and there’s still very little that can be seen on the ground. Hopefully we will begin to see some meaningful changes soon. *