The National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue examined the performance of the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS), the rollout of the Tajir Dost Scheme and the economic effects of border closures during its sitting on Tuesday, according to a press statement issued in Islamabad.
Committee members asked for a detailed briefing on how the EFS’s funds have been used, how it operates, who qualifies and how much it has contributed to raising Pakistan’s exports. The committee also took up the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2026, but postponed it until the next meeting.
Concerns over alleged misuse of the export scheme
Members raised concerns about alleged misuse of the facility and questioned its effectiveness, noting that overall export figures had not risen in step with it. They argued that the scheme should be judged on verifiable data showing its real contribution to export growth.
Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Bilal Azhar Kayani told the committee that the EFS was meant to help exporters by lowering the cost of imported raw materials used in goods made for export. He promised a detailed presentation on performance, financial use, export impact, eligibility criteria and proposed reforms at the next meeting.
Tajir Dost Scheme filing deadline and enforcement plans
The committee expressed concern about a lower-than-expected response from retailers, despite extensive consultations with trade organisations and business representatives. Kayani said the deadline for filing returns under the scheme expired on October 31 and the government was preparing to move into the enforcement phase.
He said retailers that fail to comply would face penalties, in addition to their existing legal duty to file tax returns, and reiterated the government’s commitment to broadening the tax base. The committee was told that the Federal Board of Revenue and the Attorney General for Pakistan had been consulted to check the legal and procedural soundness of the planned measures, after which the Prime Minister would receive the completed enforcement strategy.
Seven MNAs took part virtually. Senior representatives from the Federal Board of Revenue, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Law and Justice attended as special invitees.
