Experts call for curbing illicit trade
As Pakistan engages with an International Monetary Fund mission over revenue targets and fiscal discipline for FY2026-27, the huge amount lost annually to illicit trade have come into sharper focus as one of the most immediate and credible sources of revenue recovery available to the government. The IMF, which has urged Pakistan to expand its tax base and strengthen revenue collection mechanisms, has set a primary surplus target of 2 per cent of GDP by 2027.