An Assessment Team of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes visited Pakistan from 23rd to 25th April for onsite assessment of Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) Confidentiality and Data Safeguards.

The delegation comprised Gudrun Jenny Jonsdottir, Tax Policy Advisor, OECD, Jasmina Trajkovski Ruso, Technical Advisor Information Security Management, OECD, Toh Ginn Shyong, Senior Architect, Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore and Ashwin Luckoo, Section Head, Information Systems Department, Mauritius Revenue Authority.

Detailed meetings were held with the assessment team presided over by Aisha Farooq, Director General (International Taxes), which was also attended by officials of PRAL and IT Wing of FBR.

In her opening remarks, the Director General (International Taxes) welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to exchange of information for mutual benefit as well as ensuring confiden
tiality and safeguard of exchanged data. Three-day vigorous sessions were attended by the concerned officers for input and discussion of policies and Information Security Framework in place by FBR for maintaining data confidentiality.

The delegation also visited the Data Center, Security Operations Centre and AEOI Centre at FBR (HQs) as well as AEOI Zone, Islamabad. A joint session was also held with Member (IT) and DG (International Taxes). In these sessions, the assessment team appreciated the efforts of FBR in upholding international commitments made for protection of exchanged data.

Source: Pro Pakistani