The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will roll out IRIS 3.0, an advanced tax system developed to automate and accelerate taxpayers’ online filing of taxes considerably. In addition to improving the overall experience of the taxpayer, this new version will have pre-filled tax returns, auto workflows, and a simple, easy-to-use interface.
This announcement was made during a World Bank meeting in Washington, D.C., where Pakistan’s ongoing tax reform efforts were presented as an international success story in public sector modernization. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial, and other senior officials represented Pakistan at the event.
The Finance Minister asserts that Pakistan’s reform process is an internal effort led by the Prime Minister and focuses on improving people, procedures, and technology to enhance the transparency and efficiency of the tax system. He added that tax collection and economic growth have already started to pick up due to these reforms.
The tax-to-GDP ratio of Pakistan rose from 8.83% in FY2023–2024 to 10.33% in FY2024–2025, the biggest one-year increase in 20 years, according to Chairman Langrial. He attributed this achievement to better coordination, decision-making for results, and a results-oriented culture.
IRIS 3.0 was launched in 2024 after an eight-week countrywide consultation with the FBR officials.
Unlike its predecessors, the project has wide political and institutional support, thus guaranteeing continuous change.
With IRIS 3.0, taxpayers and traders will receive faster processing, auto-inputting, and simple filing, which will simplify tax compliance. The officials also mentioned that technology alone is not enough; appropriate staff training and process redesign are equally essential for long-term improvement.
Pakistan’s reform achievement was welcomed by global representatives, who called it a model for other developing nations. World Bank and Egyptian specialists termed it a “blueprint for modern tax administration.”
As Pakistan moving towards a totally digital economy, IRIS 3.0 is expected to transform the citizens’ and businesses’ experience with FBR in transparency, trust, and doing business ease.