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Syed Shabbar Zaidi who was appointed by the PM Khan on Monday, becomes the third person from the private sector to hold the post as the new chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)
According to Dawn, the PM made the announcement during a briefing with senior journalists on proposed local government system in Punjab.
However, the newly appointed chairman did not go down well at the FBR where the Inland Revenue Officers Association issued a harsh statement immediately after the announcement was made.
The statement stated that, the association believed the issue of appointing any person from private sector has already been resolved through the judgment of Islamabad High Court. The statement was referring to the case of Arshad Ali Hakeem who was also appointed from the private sector to the head the FBR. Hakeem’s tenure proved to be a short-lived stint of one year, until his appointment was deemed as illegal by the Islamabad High Court on a petition filed by an Inland Revenue Service officer. That judgment still holds the field and the association is now pressing to bring a similar case against the newly appointed FBR chairman Mr. Zaidi.
“The then government did not challenge the high court order which has already issued details for appointment from the private sector,” the statement says, adding that “after issuance of the notification, the association will file a contempt of court petition” this time.
Mr. Zaidi in an interview with Dawn, stating that it is their right to file this case, and he has laid out his priorities and considers building trust between the state and the taxpayers.
“This is done through automation, minimising contact between tax man and taxpayer, and by promoting a voluntary compliance” — acts that he said will automatically lead to base broadening.
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