Mirpur (ajk): Azad Jammu and Kashmir Central Board of Revenue (AJK CBR) Chairman and Secretary Inland Revenue, Muhammad Younis Mir, Friday visited the Inland Revenue South Zone office in Mirpur, where he was briefed on revenue collection performance for the fiscal year 2025-26, targets for the upcoming fiscal year 2026-27, and the challenges being faced by the department.
He was accompanied by Commissioner Inland Revenue (South Zone) Syed Ansar Ali, and other officers of the South Zone, presented a detailed briefing on the department’s performance. He informed the Secretary that despite various operational challenges and difficult circumstances, the South Zone had successfully surpassed its assigned revenue target for fiscal year 2025-26, AJK IRD sources told reporter here on Friday.
The Commissioner attributed the achievement to the vision of the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, continuous guidance from the Chairman AJK CBR/Secretary Inland Revenue, and the dedicated efforts of Deputy Commissioners Inland Revenue, Inland Revenue Officers, and departmental staff. He reaffirmed the department’s commitment to exceeding the revenue target for fiscal year 2026-27 and stated that a comprehensive strategy had already been devised to enhance revenue collection.
Expressing satisfaction over the department’s performance, Secretary Inland Revenue Muhammad Younis Mir appreciated the efforts of the South Zone team and expressed confidence that the department would continue its strong performance and surpass the annual revenue target during the current fiscal year as well.
The meeting was also attended by Commissioner Inland Revenue (North Zone) Basil Siddique, Secretary AJK CBR Dr. Shazia Habib, and Additional Commissioner Inland Revenue Muhammad Mahmood Alam.
During the briefing, Syed Ansar Ali highlighted that the tax administration system in Azad Jammu and Kashmir had largely been modernized on the pattern of Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). He said further reforms and automation initiatives were underway in collaboration with relevant authorities to improve efficiency and transparency.
He noted that the implementation of the Point of Sale (POS) system had contributed significantly to strengthening government revenue. Efforts were being accelerated to expand the POS network across all districts of the South Zone, which is expected to further increase revenue generation.
The Commissioner further informed that improved monitoring of key sectors, enhanced audit strategies, and ongoing tax audits of major excise taxpayers were likely to result in substantial revenue growth during the current fiscal year. He added that despite shortages of staff and infrastructure, additional personnel had been deployed at cigarette manufacturing units and check posts to strengthen monitoring. As a result, performance at these locations had improved over the past two months, while illegal transportation and tax evasion activities had been effectively discouraged.
He also stated that extensive field surveys were being conducted across all districts of the South Zone to identify and register new taxpayers, thereby broadening the tax base and increasing government revenues.
Congratulating the officers and staff on surpassing the previous fiscal year’s target, Secretary Inland Revenue Muhammad Younis Mir assured them that practical measures would be taken to address the challenges faced by the department. He reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening the Inland Revenue Department and enhancing its role in ensuring the financial stability of the state.
Later, the Chairman AJK CBR/Secretary Inland Revenue, accompanied by Commissioner Inland Revenue (North Zone) Basil Siddique, Commissioner Inland Revenue (South Zone) Syed Ansar Ali, and Secretary AJK CBR Dr. Shazia Habib, visited the Old Industrial Area in Mirpur. During the visit, they reviewed the operations and production activities of various industrial units and discussed tax-related issues being faced by the industrial sector.