Govt may change chairman FBR, if Shabbar Zaidi doesn't recover soon: Abdul Hafeez Shaikh

Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has hinted that the federal government may change the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Shabbar Zaidi if he does not recover from ill health soon.

Shaikh, in an interview with a private news channel, shared that the government may decide to change the Chairman FBR if he does not recover quickly as the government also plans to introduce a mini-budget.

“The chairman FBR is ill and we hope he recovers quickly,” Shaikh said in the interview.

Last month, it was reported that Chairman FBR Shabbar Zaidi is on an indefinite period of leave from his official duties on grounds of ill health.

Also read: Talks with IMF delegation focused on fiscal adjustments

Earlier, Zaidi had gone on a sick leave from January 6 to January 19. This had led to rumours that there was a rift in the government's economic team. However, those rumours were rejected by the FBR.

The adviser also stated that the word mini-budget has become controversial when asked about the details of the government’s plan to introduce a bill to address the missed tax target.

Shaikh told the host that economic management is necessary and is a continuous process. He added that it's possible that a finance act can be changed once it has been presented.

The News had reported on Thursday that the government plans to introduce fiscal adjustments in the form of a mini-budget through which it will adopt additional taxation measures that will be implemented by the FBR.

The government is also holding talks with a delegation of the International Monetary Fund in this regard.