Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday said tax collection is a big challenge for the government as tax collection targets are falling day by day due to corruption, fraud and greed by the concerned officials and officers, reported 24NesHD TV channel.

PM Shehbaz was addressing a ceremony held in honour of FBR officers in Lahore. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was also present in the ceremony.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said that from now onwards officers showing poor performance will not be tolerated, as action has been taken against corrupt and inefficient officers.

Prime Minister said there were very competent and efficient officers in FBR department and the entire nation was proud of hardworking officers who rendered services for the development of Pakistan.

Prime Minister said Pakistan was still facing various challenges while its neighbouring countries have made tremendous progress in various walks of life.

PM clarified that after the reports of the agencies and the input by the FBR top brass, only hard-working and competent officers will be rewarded while incompetent officers will not be tolerated in the system.

Prime Minister told the officers that sales tax worth Rs750 billion has been misused and the Government has to probe all the facts.

Shehbaz said nations are built on the principle of reward for good work and punishment for bad work. He said around Rs2700 billion tax dispute cases were pending with the FBR tribunal.

“The tribunal members will have to resolve these cases otherwise they will go home.”

He said the government was committed to bringing more people into the tax net under the track system.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instructed the provincial governments to take necessary measures to ensure the implementation of the reduced prices of petroleum products and the sale of edible items at government rates.

In a statement, he said the recent decrease in inflation is good news for the people. Shehbaz Sharif said inflation reduced from 39 percent to 20 percent and now to 17 percent. He said this decline in the last two years shows better economic indicators. He said the decrease in inflation is a result of the hard work of his sixteen-month previous government and the caretaker setup continued those efforts.

The Prime Minister said bringing down inflation is top priority of the government and the people will get more relief as soon economic activities pick momentum. He said slashed petroleum rates will provide a respite to the public as oil prices in the international market have decreased.

Shehbaz Sharif expressed the resolve to continue heading in the same direction to improve people's lives. He assured that the government is striving hard to provide maximum relief to the people at the earliest.