ISLAMABAD: Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Dr Asif Mehmood Jah on Wednesday said the FTO Secretariat had emerged as one of the country’s most trusted redressal forums, registering an unprecedented surge in complaints, record implementation of recommendations, and growing international recognition of Pakistan’s ombudsman framework.
Addressing a news conference here, he said the Secretariat’s performance over the past four years had demonstrated taxpayers’ rising confidence in the institution. “The exponential increase in complaints reflects that aggrieved taxpayers now see the FTO as a credible, effective and responsive forum for grievance redressal,” he said.
He was accompanied by FTO Advisors Almas Ali Jovindah, Aman Rashid, Arslan Subuctageen Muhammad Nazim Saleem, Muhammad Naseer Butt, and Registrar,Khalid Javed.
Dr Jah said when he assumed office on September 30, 2021, the FTO received 2,867 complaints that year.
Following extensive nationwide outreach and awareness campaigns led by the FTO and its advisors, he said, the inflow of complaints surged sharply.
In 2022, the institution received 6,106 complaints, followed by 7,889 in 2023 and 12,742 in 2024.
He said the momentum reached a historic milestone in 2025, with the Secretariat receiving 35,716 complaints to date. “This remarkable trend is a clear indicator of enhanced trust in the system,” he added.
The FTO noted that during this period, the Secretariat also ensured near-perfect implementation of its findings. “We achieved a 98 per cent implementation rate of FTO recommendations, while the Hon’ble President of Pakistan upheld around 97 per cent of our decisions,” he said. In the remaining cases, the Presidential Secretariat either slightly modified or remanded the matters.
Dr Jah said the total number of complaints instituted during his four-year tenure reached 64,664 – surpassing the combined total of 37,118 complaints received during the previous five tenures spanning 21 years.
“This is a testament to the Secretariat’s strengthened administrative capacity, improved complaint-handling mechanisms and proactive engagement,” he added.
Highlighting international achievements, Dr Jah said Pakistan’s ombudsman community had secured exceptional global recognition in recent years.
“Today, members of the Forum of Pakistan Ombudsman hold positions such as President of the Asian Ombudsmen, First Vice President of the International Ombudsman Institute, and Director for the Asian Region in IOI,” he said, describing these as milestones that elevated Pakistan’s stature in the international ombudsman fraternity.
He recalled that as Secretary General of the OIC Ombudsman Association (OICOA), he worked to deepen institutional coordination, strengthen policy exchange and reinforce Pakistan’s leadership role in global ombudsman governance. “We successfully hosted an OICOA leaders’ meeting in Islamabad and played a key role in securing OICOA’s affiliated status with the OIC,” he noted.
He said the Secretariat also launched a Diplomatic Grievance Redressal Cell to directly engage embassies and diplomatic missions in Islamabad, enabling swift resolution of their tax-related issues.
Multiple seminars were held to institutionalize this outreach. “Countries such as Bangladesh and Tanzania are now studying and emulating Pakistan’s tax ombudsman model,” he added.
The FTO said the Secretariat’s efforts had also led to recoveries exceeding Rs23 billion, while the average time for complaint disposal had been reduced to just 34 days, far faster than comparable oversight bodies.
He said youth development was another priority area. Under the 2025 Public Sector Internship Programme, the FTO Secretariat provided structured training to more than 150 young participants from across Pakistan, equipping them with practical experience in complaint handling, research, outreach and inter-agency coordination.
Dr Jah said these achievements reflected the Secretariat’s commitment to transparency, efficiency and public service. “Our focus has remained on protecting taxpayers’ rights, improving institutional performance and strengthening Pakistan’s standing in the global ombudsman community,” he added.
