ISLAMABAD: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Advisory Committee Wednesday finalized recommendations for evolving a mechanism to improve the revenue collection system.
Federal Tax Ombudsman Abdul Rauf Chaudhary chaired the advisory committee’s second meeting which discussed the proposals for improving the working of tax collection departments, especially the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and decided to forward the same to the federal government for implementation.
Revenue experts, including former FBR chairman Abdullah Yousaf, Advocate Muhammad Akram Zaki, Fakharuddin, Mian Afzal, advisors and consultants attended the meeting.
The measures to further strengthen the regional FTO offices and enhance their effectiveness were also discussed.
The participants of the meeting appreciated that for the first time in the country’s history, the FTO was deciding cases in 51 days on average conducting hearing on daily basis.
Any aggrieved person can file a complaint against tax malpractice directly through a written application, e-mail or fax at any regional office of FTO, which is processed same day. No court fee or services of counsel are required except proper address and contacts of the complainant.
It may be mentioned here that Section 18 of Federal Tax Ombudsman Ordinance 2000 empowers FTO to establish standing or advisory committees at specific places with specified jurisdiction for performing such functions which are assigned to them from time to time. The committees submit their reports to the FTO for onward submission to the Federal Government with its recommendation for appropriate action.
