ISLAMABAD: It is prime obligation of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) legal wing to effectively represent the board in the court of law including the apex courts, monitoring the performance of lawyers, commissioners and collectors, especially in case of appeals and prepare for and approve filling of references.
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Member Legal Ahmed Dildar stated this during an exclusive chat with Customs Today.
Ahmed Dildar said that apart this, the Legal Wing had major obligation to nominate and monitor attorney generals and ensure coordination between the FTO and FBR while assisting them. “Of Course, performance of the Legal Wing is exemplary and it has been dealing with all legal matters of the FBR in an efficient and professional manner,” he claimed, adding that the sort of mandate given to the Legal Wing always bound it to be proactive and well-versed while be able to cater for the challenges arose from ever-changing situation.
While attributing achievements of the wing to team work, the FBR Member Legal acknowledged the role and performance of the entire team of Legal Wing, saying that all the officials were hard workers and honest. “It is very right that if captain of a ship gives right directives at a right time, the ship always sail upright hence our Chairman Tariq Bajwa works hard to achieve the desired goal,” Ahmed Dildar pointed out.
He revealed that as a first step, the Legal Wing had implemented Litigation Management System (LMS) in all Inland Revenue field formations besides launching software on appeal management and processing system. Another extended application of ITMS has indigenously been developed with the help of Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL) in application of Integrated Tax Management System (IYMS) with the aim to improve process of filling references in lower and apex courts, he informed.
He told the Customs Today that another application for ITMS had also been developed for the facilitation of Pakistan Customs, Inland Revenue and Directorate Generals of FBR.
He maintained that the Legal Wing had also ensured registration of the FBR Foundation as a separate legal entity to carry out welfare activities for in-service and retired employees and their dependents. It is another milestone achieved of the Legal Wing which reflects the professional approach of the wing,” he claimed.
To the question, Ahmed Dildar divulged that the FBR Legal Wing had proposed a number of amendments, of curative nature, to fiscal laws for incorporation in the Finance Bill 2014-15.
The FBR Member Legal averred that despite all these achievements he believed that there was a lot of work to be done to come up to the modern-day challenges and improve performance of the Legal Wing.
“Look, reforms in the Legal Wing are the need of the hour with special emphasis on posting of law graduates, having legal acumen,” Ahmed Dilar stressed, adding that there was a need for imparting legal drafting training and legislative comprehension to the officers/officials of the Legal Wing.
The FBR Member Legal emphasised on creation of post for assistant director/ deputy director in the wing with a minimum qualification of LLB on permanent basis, adding that there should also be law officers in every field formation. “There is a dire need for completion of automation process, the sooner the better,” Ahmed Dildar concluded.
