ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered strict disciplinary actions against officials implicated in an inquiry report for their negligence in implementing the Track and Trace System (T&T), which led to detrimental effects on the national economy due to flawed planning.
Chairing a high-level meeting on the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) Track and Trace System, the Prime Minister expressed concern over the system’s faulty planning and inadequate enforcement, which resulted in economic losses. The system was designed to monitor production in various industries such as cigarette manufacturing, fertilizer, sugar, and cement, as well as to combat counterfeit products and smuggling.
During the meeting, an inquiry committee’s report was presented, detailing the investigation into the matter. Federal Ministers Muhammad Aurangzeb and Ahad Khan Cheema, along with Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Jahanzaib Khan and FBR Chairman Malik Amjad Zubair Tiwana, were among those in attendance. Members of the inquiry committee, including Secretary Finance Imdad Bosal and Awais Kundi, were also present.
The Prime Minister questioned the haste with which important provisions were overlooked during the implementation of the national project. The inquiry report identified the project director and the member operations inland during that period as responsible for negligence, while also placing significant blame on subsequent officials in those roles. The FBR chairman at the time was also held accountable for inadequate administrative supervision.
In response, the Prime Minister directed a review of licenses and agreements, as well as the inclusion of provisions for third-party audits and alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Moreover, the Prime Minister commended the inquiry committee for its thorough report submission.
