Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Naeemul Haque on Thursday rubbished rumours regarding removal of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Shabbar Zaidi, saying that he would retain his position.

"Shabbar Zaidi not being changed. He will remain in his position," Haque said on Twitter.

Earlier, Zaidi himself had said: “I don’t want to comment, Prime Minister Imran Khan will decide.”

Zaidi was appointed to the position on May 10 by the premier.

It was earlier speculated that Zaidi could be moved up the hierarchy, either to the position of Minister of State for Revenue that fell vacant after its former occupant, Hammad Azhar, was elevated to full minister status and given the Economic Affairs Division, or to the position of Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Revenue.

Members of FBR who report directly to the chairman told Dawn that a certain amount of disconnect exists between them and Zaidi. One of them said that the chairman shares no information with the members posted at the tax body. “There is an environment of distrust of FBR chief with his team members,” the source said.

On the other hand, the business community has been agitating against the revenue measures announced in the budget. Reports have also circulated regarding the business community approaching people in the corridors of power over the appointment of Zaidi as chairman FBR.