THIS is with reference to the letter ‘PM complaint portal (May 21). It doesn’t seem to serve the real purpose because it is manned by the bureaucrats, who in the end protect each other.

In the ‘70s, there was a public relations officer who used to act as a deterrent in cases where executive excesses were involved. Later in the ‘80s, an Ombudsman worked hard for some time. This institution floundered because of lack of implementation of his orders.

My case (3072/2017) and many other cases are still pending implementation. The Federal Tax Ombudsman had failed to provide me information in a case (660/66) decided in 2017. It is better to form petty or administrative courts instead of wasting time on rhetoric to compile ‘all is fine’ annual reports. If everything is fine, why have there been thousands of more litigants in court of law?

If Prime Minister Imran Khan wants a qualitative change, he should immediately constitute a free legal aid society. At least I would apply first because I am a retiree whose only source is pension, and there are definite cases against the Federal Bureau of Revenue for excesses.

In my case I mention only a few instances, the fudging of the dossier, sending me to Federal Ombudsman on a reduced pay, withholding my seniority since 2011 and finally giving me less pension.

If I am wrong, I will publicly apologise; otherwise the FBR should apologize or pay me damages after a fair trial or investigation through the proposed free legal aid society.

My case has been pending in the PM’s complaint portal — PA & GW/2018/GW-II/Sindh/18675/2/119225 Islamabad, the Sept 28, 2018 The complaint is trapped in the FBR’s red tape

Muhammad Saleem Butt

Karachi

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2019