FBR Rolls Out Sector-Wise Field Audits with Expert Support

The FBR has announced a sweeping new audit initiative that will see field audits conducted across 42 key industries, supported by the appointment of 102 sector-specific audit experts. Pak Law eServices+3ProPakistani+3Business Recorder+3

What’s changing and why it matters

• The audit focus now includes sectors such as automotive, textile, real-estate/developers, pharmaceuticals, cement, telecom, and more. ProPakistani

• These experts are meant to bring technical, industry-specific insight into audit processes — helping FBR officers analyse inputs-outputs, seasonality in business, benchmark comparisons and detect non-compliance more effectively. Business Recorder+1

• The initiative is part of FBR’s broader transformation plan using data-analytics, risk frameworks and digital systems to upgrade the audit-capacity and improve compliance. Dunya News+1

What this means for taxpayers

• If you’re operating in one of the 42 industries, especially manufacturing, real-estate/development, or import-heavy sectors, you should be audit-aware: prepare your records, verify your documentation, and expect that FBR may focus on your business.

• These audits may not be purely desk-based: “field audits” signal on-site visits, physical verification of stock/machinery, production logs, input/output registers. So being “audit-ready” in practice is more important than ever.

• Engaging a tax advisor or auditor ahead of time to review your books, reconcile bank/asset records, evaluate your tax return and remedial compliance gaps can be smart — before FBR raises questions.

Action-Points for your business/blog readers

1. Identify if your sector is in the 42-target list: If yes, elevate your audit readiness — and don’t assume “we’re too small” will exempt you.

2. Organise and update your records: Especially for manufacturing/trading businesses — stock movement, purchase contracts, sales invoices, machinery registers, production volumes.

3. Match declared income/transactions/assets: One of the big risk triggers is mismatch between bank/asset data and declared income/tax-paid.

4. Engage industry-expert audit review: Since FBR is using experts from industry, it makes sense for you to get someone who knows your industry to review your books — you want to stay ahead of the curve.

5. Stay compliant with new digital systems: FBR is digitising audit tracking, using dashboards & risk-registers. Late/non-compliance might be picked up automatically. Finance Division+1