Daily Times

FPCCI president Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo has proposed that tax adjudication cases be handled under the supervision of the Office of the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FT0) in order to resolve tax notices in a fair, neutral, open, and competent manner. His remarks were made at the FPCCI Karachi Head Office during a visit by Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah, Pakistan’s Foreign Trade Officer (FTO).

As a result of this recent FTO notice and report, Mian Naser Hyatt Maggo said that FPCCI is grateful for its efforts to expose the misuse of power by tax officials in issuing fake notices and accessing bank accounts without proper justification. A well-respected, fearless, competent, and senior officer should be appointed as FTO Pakistan, he told the audience.

The FPCCI President outlined the major issues with income tax cases, saying that discrimination, delay, injustice, non-transparency, and non-payment of refunds are plaguing the taxation system of the country.

According to the VP of FPCCI, Mr. Hanif Lakhany, due to the fair redressal by the office of FTO, the business community is for the first time feeling secure and protected from tax and customs officials’ harassment and highhandedness; Moreover, he thanked the government for appointing the right person for the job.

FPCCI Vice President Nasir Khan expressed his satisfaction with the FTO, but said that tax and customs authorities use time-delay and procrastination tactics to avoid swiftly resolving issues of business, industry, and trade community. The FTO should be given the authority to punish and reprimand corrupt officers in order to resolve these complaints.

On the Federal Tax Ombudsman’s mandate and performance, Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah gave a briefing to the audience. According to him, 90pc of the complaints from the business community end up in their favour. FTO or the Constitutional Office of the President of Pakistan are options for complainants who wish to appeal to FTO or the President’s constitutional office.

Even if FTO can’t directly reprimand tax and customs officials, Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah says his observations on misuse of powers, maladministration, and anomalies are taken seriously. Cases that have already been taken up by a court of law and are currently subjudice are also off-limits to the FTO. Dr. Jah went on to explain the other functions of the FTO, including inspections, own-motion actions, and research.

Complaints resolution time should be reduced from 60 days to 60 hours, Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah said. The establishment of help desks in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, as requested by FPCCI, was also approved.