KARACHI: Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah (HI, SI) has announced quick action on the complaints of taxpayers of the country and has assured to provide justice in 4-6 weeks. He said that the FTO office has the authority to take action against maladministration & malpractices of the FBR and we ensure that our decisions are implemented by FBR in true spirit. He was speaking as Chief Guest on the occasion of his visit to SITE Association of Industry. He was accompanied by high officials of his office.
Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah said that backlash from the FBR on registering complaints to FTO is also overseen by the FTO office and to ensure that there is no such backlash to taxpayers, a Notification has already been issued. He informed the members that the FTO office has received more than 8000 complaints last year, out of which, 90pc were resolved and decisions were implemented. The FTO office keeps proper tracks of all complaints. With the efforts of the FTO office, refunds worth 17.8 billion were paid to taxpayers by the FBR. It is indeed an honour that the honourable President of Pakistan has ratified 510 decisions, out of 590 of the FTO.
He informed the members that own motion action has already been taken by the FTO on SRO-350 related issues. We are also taking Own Motion Action on goods accumulated on ports on accounts of payment of custom duty. On this occasion, the honourable Federal Tax Ombudsman also announced to nominate an Advisor from SITE Association of Industry.
Earlier, SITE President Muhammad Kamran Arbi welcomed the honourable FTO to the Association and thanked him for sparing time to visit the Association. He presented a brief introduction of SITE area Karachi and highlighted its contribution in the industrial sector and the national economy. He remarked that Dr.Asif Mahmood Jah is the only bureaucrat who have been conferred both Hilal-e-Imtiaz and Sitara-e-Imtiaz which speaks high of his capabilities and outstanding performance.
He said that there is much lack of trust between the taxpayers and the tax collecting authorities. The taxpayer in particular, is reluctant to contact tax collecting authorities even for a genuine concern due to miscues of authority by them. SMEs cannot afford to employ high paid staff for tax returns and compliance matters.
Chief Coordinator Saleem Parekh welcomed the honourable FTO and thanked him for visiting the Association. In his brief speech, he requested the honourable FTO to take action against the officer issuing high amount recovery notices by misusing his authority. He added that after such notice is issued, the matter ends in corruption.
Former President Jawed Bilwani welcomed the statement of honourable FTO that 90pc complaints have been decided in favour of taxpayers and added that it is clear evidence of maladministration of the FBR. He said that Dr.Asif Mahmood Jah is the first FTO who belongs to FBR and as such, he is in a better position to address issues related to FBR. He stressed the need to completely do away with manual processing of refunds as FBR has all the data & record electronically available and concluded that only by reducing human interaction, bad practices can be controlled. He remarked that since FBR has a real-time audit system, there should be no need for audit.
Former President Tariq Yousuf said that it seems that the government is continuously negating industrialization in the country. He requested the honourable FTO to make bad laws accountable and also make those who are found misusing authority accountable first which will start cleaning our system at all levels.
Riaz Uddin, Chairman of the Taxation sub-committee of the Association on this occasion, gave a comprehensive presentation to the honourable FTO on tax related issues being faced by the taxpaying industries of SITE area, Karachi. He in particular briefed the honourable FTO on the issues related to sales tax refunds which are deliberately delayed & denied by the FBR authorities against the given timeline of 45-days. Giving reference to various sections of the Income tax Ordinance and Sales Tax Act, he highlighted various issues which create problems for the taxpayers and ultimately, result in blockage of refunds.
He prayed the honourable FTO to Redress complaints of tax maladministration promptly, justly, fairly and independently and play the crucial role to rectify the injustice currently being done to the honest taxpayers, by way of the inaction and maladministration of FBR. He suggested that the Hon’ble FTO may take its own motion on systemic maladministration and pandemic issues, propping up every now and then, Conduct surprise and schedule inspections of Tax Offices sounding bad reputation.
He concluded that FTO is the only ray of hope for the industrial taxpayers who can control maladministration in FBR and requested the FTO to utilize powers to initiate prompt inquiries, on FTO’s own motion, pertaining to impending issues.
As a gesture of goodwill, the Association’s Shield was presented to the Chief Guest. SVP Muhammad Hanif Tawakkal proposed a vote of thanks. Prominent among those who attended the meeting were VP Muhammad Farhan Ashrafi, Abdul Rasheed, Ex-VP KCCI Haris Agar, Abdul Kadir Bilwani, Naveed Wahid, Hussain Moosani, Haris Shakoor, Rizwan Lakhany, Junaid Rehman, Junaid Nawab, Muhammad Riaz Dhedhi and others.
