FBR chairman Shabbar Zaidi places restriction on raids

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman Shabbar Zaidi has placed restrictions on raids on premises of taxpayers.

According to an FBR notification, prior approval of Member (IR-Operations) and the chairman will be required to conduct the raid. “If there are evidence of economic transaction(s) which are chargeable to tax and the organisation/entity is not a tax registered person then the officer will report it to the Member (IR-Operations) and Chairman FBR, who will provide necessary direction for future course of action,” said the notification.

The notification also prohibited the suspension from active taxpayers list unless there is personal interaction with CEO/owner of the business 24 hours before the suspension. The list of all such cases will be sent to Chairman FBR and Member (IR-Operations) with reasons for the suspension and evidence of personal interaction. 

No harassment of tax files

Last week, FBR chairman Shabbar Zaidi directed staffers of the revenue authority not to harass tax filers.

Speaking to media, Zaidi said no date had yet been finalised for the budget, adding, "We will only do what would be better for Pakistan".

Zaidi since assuming charge of the FBR has vowed to end corruption in the revenue authority’s tax collection. He has said that tax percentage in the GDP would be increased and all possible efforts would be made for a taxpayer-friendly FBR. Zaidi said he would utilise the services of present staff of the revenue authority.

Shabbar Zaidi added that the FBR's expertise would be utilised in the widening of the tax net

Zaidi appointed chairman on honorary basis

The federal government appointed Syed M Shabbar Zaidi as Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue on an honorary basis for a period of two years.

Zaidi's appointment came after the removal of Jahanzeb Khan from the position as head of the tax collection body.

Zaidi is a senior partner at A.F. Ferguson and Co, a leading accountancy and advisory company in Pakistan and a Price Waterhouse Coopers member firm. He has previously served as provincial finance minister in the Sindh caretaker cabinet in 2013.

Zaidi has also served as president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan and as chairman of the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA) in the past, and has also authored several books, including Panama Leaks – A Blessing in Disguise – Offshore Assets of Pakistani Citizens, A Journey for Clarity and Pakistan: Not a Failed State.