The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has ordered all bottled water manufacturers to install an electronic production monitoring system by 15 June 2026 to stop tax evasion.
The FBR announced the directive as part of a broader effort to ensure accurate sales tax collection from bottled water companies operating across the country.
Under the new system, all companies must install industrial barcode scanners, counting sensors, and IP cameras at their production facilities to enable full oversight.
Network video recorders, programmable logic controllers, and LED display units will also be mandatory components of the surveillance infrastructure under FBR rules.
All production data will be stored and archived securely to support legal proceedings in cases of detected irregularities or tax fraud.
An uninterrupted power supply system will be required to ensure the monitoring equipment operates continuously without disruption during production hours.
Specialised production monitoring software will transmit data directly and in real time to the central systems of FBR for immediate analysis and record-keeping.
The system will use real-time object detection technology to enable automated counting of bottles throughout the entire production and packaging process.
Authorities say the system will also flag suspicious activity, track production speed, and generate instant alerts whenever irregularities are identified on the line.
The FBR confirmed that no vendor will be permitted to install the required equipment without receiving prior written approval directly from the FBR itself.
Chief Commissioners of Inland Revenue have been formally directed to designate focal persons responsible for overseeing compliance across all assigned jurisdictions.
