KARACHI: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) plans to reduce the complaint resolution turnaround time to 60 hours from 60 days, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.

During a visit to the head office of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), FTO Dr Asif Mahmood Jah agreed with the business community on setting up help desks at the FPCCI offices in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

He pointed out that decisions on 90 per cent of complaints made by the business community go in their favour. Besides, the complainants can appeal to the FTO or even file a representation with the constitutional office of the President of Pakistan, he said.

Dr Jah said FTO cannot directly reprimand tax and customs officials, but it can make its observations on misuse of powers, maladministration, anomalies, harassment and corruption. He stressed that FTO’s observations are taken seriously by the Customs and Tax Department.

Another limitation of the FTO is that it cannot take up cases that have been already taken up by a court of law and are sub judice, he said.

FPCCI president Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo proposed that tax adjudication cases should be handled under the supervision of the FTO office to resolve tax notices in a fair and transparent manner.

Highlighting major issues in income tax cases, the FPCCI chief said discrimination, delay, injustice, non-transparency and non-payment of refunds are plaguing the taxation system of the country and that is the reason FPCCI recommends sweeping reforms in the system.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2021