Punjab govt to install cameras at businesses to combat tax evasion

LAHORE: The Punjab government has launched a sweeping crackdown on tax evasion and fraudulent invoicing, unveiling plans to install surveillance cameras at commercial venues and transition major economic sectors from cash to digital payments.

The measures were approved during a provincial revenue meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, who ordered strict enforcement against businesses issuing fake receipts or underreporting sales.

Under the new directives, the government will deploy camera monitoring systems at marriage halls, marquees, farmhouses, and large food chains to track transactions in real time.

The administration is also considering making digital payments mandatory at major restaurants to eliminate cash-based tax concealment.

“There will be zero tolerance for tax evasion; the eye of the camera will watch, and the digital system will catch offenders,” Maryam Nawaz said, questioning why Pakistan cannot transition from a cash-based economy to a digital one when global markets have successfully done so.

The provincial government has set a revenue target of Rs528.5 billion for the 2026-27 fiscal year.

To monitor progress, the chief minister directed the authorities concerned to submit weekly sectoral mapping and tax collection reports.

The Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) briefed the meeting that its collection had increased 38 per cent to Rs346 billion, up from Rs250 billion in the previous year.

Officials said that the PRA’s operational footprint has expanded from 10 to 26 districts, supported by newly established intelligence, investigation, taxpayer audit, and legal wings.

Sharif instructed the PRA to boost its enforcement personnel and incorporate advanced technology to plug revenue leaks.

She also directed the authority’s media wing to publicly disclose the findings and justifications for all enforcement actions to increase public tax awareness.