FBR reluctant to implement FTO’s recommendations

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) appears to be reluctant in implementing the recommendations of Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Dr Muhammad Asif Jah, which are aimed at ensuring accountability and professionalism in the tax department’s field formations.

The ombudsman had recommended that FBR should revamp its training programme so that when experienced officers of BS-18 are posted in corporate units, and officials of BS-18 to BS-20 attend periodic capacity-building exercises at the Directorate of Training, their conduct should reflect the same.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Waheed Shahzad Butt, the lawyer who represented a case of maladministration and administrative excess before the FTO, said that they cannot rule out complicity and collusion of rogue FBR employees with criminal elements when the tax system is being routinely cheated.

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The counsel said that the FTO had proposed training and posting to build professionalism in officers who have to deal with taxpayers.

Sources said that the tax department neither wanted representation before President Dr Arif Alvi, nor did it file any review plea before the FTO. They also added that the FBR has been avoiding the recommendations for a long time.

Waheed further said that similar recommendations were previously issued by the FTO on Complaint No 02/LHR/IT/(02)/06/2015, but even after all this time, nothing has been implemented.

The FTO had recommended that the tax department should review its career planning policy.

In the past, fresh DOT graduates were first attached with a senior officer for a few months, then they were given some minor assignments, and were later posted in districts for further exposure and capacity-building. After four to five years of field experience, they were promoted to BS-18 and given major commercial assignments. Moreover, they were also given periodic capacity-building training.

The FTO had ordered that the tax department revamp its training programme, along with various modules, to ensure that when they are given field postings, their professional conduct reflects departmental attitude.