Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a weekly performance review meeting of the Federal Board of Revenue on Friday, December 19, 2025. Photo: APP
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday praised recent anti-smuggling efforts by Pakistan Customs, as the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) reported that restrictions on smuggling of petroleum products had led to an 82 percent increase in revenue during the first five months of the current fiscal year, Pakistan’s Associated Press reported.
The prime minister’s remarks came during a weekly performance review meeting of the FBR, during which he praised enforcement measures and ordered authorities to step up measures against tax evasion and illicit trade, according to the prime minister’s office.
The officials briefed the meeting on the progress made in combating smuggling and strengthening enforcement mechanisms. The Prime Minister highlighted that smuggling was causing losses worth billions of rupees to the national exchequer and said decisive action remained essential to protect the country’s economic interests.
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He congratulated Pakistan Customs for its successful operations, saying effective enforcement of rules had significantly reduced smuggling in key sectors. The Prime Minister described the results as encouraging, adding that products previously smuggled were now imported legally and integrated into the formal economy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz asked the authorities to accelerate efforts against tax evasion and reiterated that no leniency would be shown in cases of smuggling or tax evasion. He also asked the provincial governments to extend full cooperation to the FBR, especially in the prosecution of illegal fuel stations.
The meeting, attended by Federal Ministers Muhammad Aurangzeb and Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Chairman FBR and senior officials, was informed that an integrated customs monitoring system is now operational nationwide to prevent smuggling.
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Officials said petrol pumps across the country had been registered through the Rahguzar app, while legal action against illegal outlets was underway. District administrations have been empowered under the new Petroleum Act to seize illegal machines used at unauthorized fuel stations, and a GPS tracking system has been introduced for petroleum transportation.
According to the briefing paper, measures taken between July and November 2025 also helped curb the smuggling of cigarettes, tires, clothing, electronic devices and other goods.
