ISLAMABAD: Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Dr Asif Mahmood Jah said Monday that the President of Pakistan has upheld 98 percent decisions of the FTO against the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and rejected almost all representations of the tax department.
The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) hosted the formal launch of ‘Mohatsib ki Diary’, authored by Dr Asif Mahmood Jah. The ceremony was attended by prominent business leaders, senior tax officials, retired bureaucrats, members of academia, and representatives of the media.
Addressing the gathering, FTO stated that the FTO office has given respect to the aggrieved taxpayers without charging any fee from them. The FBR is implementing almost all orders of the FBR and submitting compliance reports on regular basis.
Dr Jah highlighted the transformation of the FTO and recalled the challenges of reforming entrenched bureaucratic structures but underscored how merit-based team selection, transparency, and persistence allowed record progress in the Federal Tax Ombudsman’s office.
According to official figures, Dr Jah’s tenure set unprecedented benchmarks. The trends of complaints registered against the FBR revealed that 3,038 complains were registered in 2021; 6,480 complaints in 2022; 8,076 complaints in 2023; 13,506 complaints in 2024 and till January 1, 2025, cumulative complaints stood at 25,000. Thus, the total complaints registered during 2021–2025 totalled at 50,904 and 44,370 complaints were disposed of during the period.
In comparison, during the previous 20 years (2001–2020) only 37,118 complaints were registered and 26,228 were subsequently disposed of.
Beyond his official role, Dr Jah also shed light on his philanthropic initiatives through the Customs Health Care Society, which has consistently supported marginalized communities—most notably during the devastating floods in Pakistan and in relief operations for earthquake victims in Turkey.
Speakers paid glowing tributes to Dr Jah’s distinguished services both as a civil servant and as a social worker. The Managing Director of the National Book Foundation praised his integrity, dedication, and deep respect for his late father, Muhammad Bashir Ahmad, whom he credited as the true source of his success.
Nasir Mansoor Qureshi, President ICCI, hailed Dr Jah’s performance in addressing taxpayers’ grievances against FBR and tax authorities.
Dr Inam-Ul-Haq Javeid, famous poet and Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis at Federal Ombudsman shared the crux of the Mohatsib ki Diary.
Former Member Customs Ramzan Bhatti and former Member Income Tax Salman Nabi also spoke.
Copyright media, 2025
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