PBC, SCBA express concern over removal of Nausheen Amjad as FBR chairperson

The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Tuesday expressed their concern over the removal of Nausheen Javaid Amjad and appointment of Muhammad Javaid Ghani as the new chairperson of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for three months.

In a combined statement, PBC Vice-Chairman Abid Saqi and SCBA President Syed Qalb-I-Hassan voiced their “surprise and apprehension that the top-level changes in the FBR, at this critical time, when Supreme Court has referred the matter pertaining to the high profile case of Justice Qazi Faez Isa, to the FBR, for investigation, prima facie, amounts to manipulate and adversely influence the investigation".

The statement added that the both have, therefore, strongly criticised the ‘ill-motivated’ move of the federal government to remove the chairperson of the FBR and not replacing her by a permanent appointment which gives strength to the apprehension that the government is not willing to let the FBR proceed with the matter of investigation pertaining to the case of Justice Isa, independently and maintaining its neutrality which, in a way, amounts to contempt of court.

“The Bar Leaders have, therefore, demanded of the Government to reverse its Order of removing the Chairperson of the FBR or in the alternate a Senior independent Officer of the FBR, not below Grade-22, is appointed, so as to ensure an independent and neutral investigation of the matter stands referred to the FBR by the apex Court relating to the high profile case of Mr Justice Qazi Faez Isa,” the communique stated.

“Otherwise, the investigation and any report in that regard will not be accepted by the legal fraternity and the Bar will strongly resist the same.”

On July 4, The federal government appointed Ghani as the new chairperson of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and removed Amjad from the post.

According to sources, the federal cabinet approved the appointment of Ghani, a Grade 22 official of Pakistan Customs, through a summary.

Ghani was also a member of the FBR Board of Customs Policy.

He will serve at the new appointment until the appointment of a regular chairperson is appointed for the revenue service.

Meanwhile, Amjad was posted as secretary national heritage and culture division.

Member inland revenue operations, Dr Ashfaq Ahmed, and Additional Secretary Ministry of Finance Ahmed Mujtaba Memon are under consideration for the appointment as FBR's regular chairperson.

In April, Amjad was appointed as the chairperson of FBR as the two-year contract of Chairman Shabbar Zaidi was terminated prematurely due to health concerns.

Even at the time of Amjad's appointment, Ghani was under consideration for the position but the cabinet preferred Amjad.

Zaidi had excused himself from performing FBR duties saying that he was ill and the doctors had advised him to rest.