“Incumbent Govt. Taking Steps to control inflation, increase revenue”: Shaukat Tarin

The newly-appointed Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has on Thursday (today) said that the incumbent government is taking all achievable steps to control inflation and increase revenue and growth rate.

Talking to a private television channel, Shaukat said the government is extensively working to develop information technology, agriculture, and housing sectors to provide people with a better life.

Yesterday, he said that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has made notable efforts in enhancing the revenue collection.

Shaukat Tarin said that more programs will be announced in the next budget to eliminate harassment to encourage people to pay taxes.

“There was the growth of 57% in revenue collection in April 2021, as compared to the corresponding period last year.’ Said the Finance Minister; adding that, ‘It is our target to further expand the tax base.”

He said twelve working groups have been constituted in the Economic Advisory Council to frame short, medium, and long-term policies for different sectors.

“Price stability is our key focus and it is the priority of the government to check inflation to provide relief to the common man,” he added.

The new Finance Minister said the scope of social protection will be further expanded under Ehsaas Program. Healthcare, employment and skills development will also be made part of it.

“The government is pursuing a policy to take the economy towards growth mode,’ said Tareen; adding that; ‘the goal will be achieved by incentivizing the industries, agriculture and housing sectors, which will also provide job opportunities to the people,” Tarin said.

More About Shaukat Tarin:

Shaukat Tarin is the fourth minister after Asad Umar, Hafeez Sheikh and Hamad Azhar in the two-year and eight-month PTI government to be given the pen of finance.

He is a banker by profession. He was born in 1953 in Multan, South Punjab.

Tarin has previously held the post of Federal Minister of Finance. He was Finance Minister in Yousuf Raza Gilani’s cabinet from 2008 to 2010. Initially, he served as an adviser to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, but after being elected a senator from Sindh in 2009, he was given the pen of the federal finance minister.

The Minister had resigned from the federal cabinet in 2010 due to a conflict of interest following a dispute over raising shares of Silk Bank.

Recently, Prime Minister Imran Khan added Shaukat Tarin to the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council following changes in his economic team.

He also holds an MBA from Punjab University and joined Citibank in 1975 where he worked for 22 years and retired as a Country Manager in Thailand.

He has also been the Chairman of Habib Bank and Union Bank and is also on the Board of Directors of Silk Bank.

Shaukat has also twice served as chairman of the Karachi Stock Exchange from 2002 to 2008.

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