During a press conference in Peshawar, Regional Advisor to the Federal Tax Ombudsman, Sardar Ali Khawaja, while highlighting performance and achievements of his office during the previous year, stated that 583 complaints were received during the last one year, with most of them pertaining to income tax, sales tax, federal excise duties, and customs duties.
He further mentioned that more than 500 complaints have been successfully resolved, and in the remaining cases relevant field formations of the FBR have been asked to dispose of claims of the affected tax payers within 15 days.
Sardar Ali Khawaja explained that complaints against all the wings of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) can now be filed both online and via telephone. These complaints can be submitted through the Federal Tax Ombudsman’s website, email, or the mobile app “FTO” portal. After an investigation, complainants are also offered the facility of online hearings. Every complaint is investigated within 30 days, whereafter the FBR is asked to implement recommendations of the FTO within 45 days.
It was stated that due to hectic awareness campaign throughout the country, a colossal number of 13500 complaints were received on central level, out of which 12914 complaints were resolved in favour of the aggrieved tax payers.
He informed the public that the Federal Tax Ombudsman handles several issues, including FBR’s illegal procedures adopted for recovery of tax arrears, the issuance of unnecessary tax notices, obstructions in issuing legitimate refunds, flaws in determining tax exemptions discrimination by FBR officials, and the abuse of power, negligence, and unprofessional conduct of FBR employees.
