ISLAMABAD: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has directed the chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to hold an inquiry against officials responsible for leaking reports of ongoing investigations to media.

Abdur Rauf Chaudhary issued the order here recently, rejecting two review petitions filed by the director general of Intelligence & Investigation, Inland Revenue, FBR, and a domestic manufacturing unit against an earlier decision of the FTO.

In the order the FBR chairman was asked to hold an inquiry against an officer allegedly responsible for leaking confidential reports to media.

The review petition filed by the FBR was against an order passed by the FTO on Dec 15 against the director general of Intelligence & Investigation, Inland Revenue, FBR.

The order passed by the FTO related to several complaints against excesses allegedly committed by the Intelligence & Investigation Dire­ctorate General, FBR.

The complainants highlighted that apart from misuse of powers the director general’s office was leaking to media information related to ongoing inquiries against business entities accused of tax evasion.

In its order, the FTO noted that it was unethical on part of the director general’s office to forward the information related to ongoing inquiries to media. He advised the FBR chairman to look into the matter.

“The chairman should also reconsider the unbridled powers given to Directorate General I&I, FTO,” the order said.

Meanwhile, another petition was filed by a manufacturer against the leakage of sensitive information by the directorate to media.

The manufacturer wanted to file a case of maladministration against an officer of the directorate for alleged leakage of sensitive information pertaining to the company. However, the agency’s officials contended before the FTO that matters of defamation were not within its purview.

Since the FTO order referred to conducting an inquiry against the accused officer, the manufacturer’s petition was turned down.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2016