ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) looks hesitant to adopt FTO Dr Muhammad Asif Jah’s suggestions, which are aimed at increasing accountability and professionalism in the tax department’s field formations.
When experienced officers of BS-18 are deployed in corporate units, and officials of BS-18 to BS-20 attend periodic capacity-building exercises at the Directorate of Training, the ombudsman advised that FBR restructure its training programme so that their behaviour reflects that.
When the tax system is systematically deceived, Waheed Shahzad Butt, the lawyer who represented a case of maladministration and administrative excess before the FTO, told the reporter that they can’t rule out cooperation and collusion of rogue FBR personnel with criminal elements.
The FTO has advocated training and posting to enhance professionalism in officers who interact with taxpayers, according to the counsel.
According to sources, the tax department did not seek representation before President Dr. Arif Alvi and did not file a review petition with the FTO. The FBR has been evading the suggestions for a long time, they added.
Waheed went on to say that the FTO had previously issued identical recommendations in Complaint No 02/LHR/IT/(02)/06/2015, but that nothing had been done since then.
According to the FTO, the tax department’s career planning policy should be reviewed.
Fresh DOT graduates used to be allocated to a senior officer for a few months, then given some modest responsibilities before being assigned to districts for more exposure and capacity building. They were promoted to BS-18 and given large commercial assignments after four to five years in the field. They were also offered capacity-building training on a regular basis.
The FTO had ordered the tax department to overhaul its training programme, including several modules, to ensure that when employees are assigned to field assignments, their professional conduct reflects the department’s attitude.
