KARACHI (August 18, 2026): President Pakistan Business Forum (Sindh Region) and Chairman Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPBakhshDA) Malik Khuda Bakhsh has said that the measures being taken by the government to put Pakistan on the path of economic stability are commendable. He said that the decisions being taken under the leadership of Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir to improve the country’s economy, national security and administrative affairs have helped restore confidence among the business community and the general public. He said the government has continued the process of reforms despite difficult economic conditions; however, fundamental reforms in the fiscal and administrative systems are now essential to make these measures more effective.
He said that there should be a clear determination of the responsibilities relating to tax collection, expenditures and the distribution of resources between the federal and provincial governments. In the new phase of the National Finance Commission (NFC), instead of focusing merely on the distribution of resources, the fiscal powers and responsibilities of the federal and provincial governments should be reviewed afresh. The federal government should bear expenses only in areas that genuinely fall within its responsibilities, while provinces should be given greater responsibility for financial planning, increasing revenues and making expenditures more effective within their respective jurisdictions.
Malik Khuda Bakhsh proposed that the tax system should be made simple, transparent and business-friendly, while unnecessary complexities in the federal and provincial tax systems should be eliminated and digital records integrated. A uniform and convenient system should be introduced to free taxpayers from dealing with complicated procedures of different government departments. At the same time, institutions and provinces demonstrating better tax-collection performance should be encouraged. He said the government’s efforts to document the economy and broaden the tax base are moving in the right direction; however, these reforms can be made more successful by taking traders and industrialists into confidence.
He said that, in view of Pakistan’s growing population, economic requirements and the need to provide better basic services to the people, reforms in the administrative structure are also urgently required. Malik Khuda Bakhsh said the government should, alongside economic reforms, focus particularly on facilitating the business community, reducing energy costs, increasing industrial production and boosting exports.
He said the Prime Minister’s efforts for economic stability and the services of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for national stability and security are laying the foundation for a brighter future for the country. To make these efforts more effective, coordination between the government and the private sector must be strengthened. He expressed hope that the government would maintain continuity in its existing policies and incorporate the recommendations of the business community into budgetary, fiscal and administrative reforms, which would help further increase investment, employment and economic activity.
Positive Results of Government’s Economic Policies Becoming Visible, Malik Khuda
