FBR reshuffles top members

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) reshuffled top members of the tax machinery, as the government looks to revive the stalled International Monetary Fund's (IMF) $6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme. 

Member IR Policy Dr Hamid Ateeq Sarwar and second Special Assistant to Chairman Malik Amjad Zubair Tiwana, two important officials, were reshuffled. 

Members Inland Revenue Policy, Member Administration, Member Facilitation and Taxpayer Education (FATE), Member Human Resource Management (HRM) and Member Strategic, Planning, Reforms and Statistics were changed by the government as well. 

Another important development, since the government brought in the Bureau's chairman Javed Ghani as a stop-gap arrangement, is appointing FBR’s Member Inland Revenue (IR) Policy Dr Hamid Ateeq Sarwar as Member Strategic Planning, Reforms and Statistics (SPR&S). 

However, Dr Hamid Ateeq Sarwar may prefer to get any appointment outside the FBR fold. The post of FBR’s Member IR Policy is considered one of the key positions for finalising IMF modalities on behalf of the FBR.

Ch Mohammad Tarique BS-21 officer has been appointed the Member IR Policy after he was transferred from the post of Chief Commissioner IR Regional Tax Office Sialkot. Earlier, during the tenure of former Chairman FBR Shabbar Zaidi, Ch Mohammad Tarique was transferred from RTO Faisalabad during the last financial year.

One official said that the changes were being made at a time when the Bureau was given the challenging task to collect Rs 4,963 billion for the current fiscal year against 3,983 billion, requiring growth of over 23%.

“The recent changes in the FBR are quite shocking as it demonstrates that the approach of status quo has fully gripped the tax collection machinery," said the official. 

Another official said that it seemed as if the team of Member IR Operation Muhammad Ashfaque had emerged as the most powerful man in the ranks of the FBR after the chairman himself. 

According to a notification issued by the FBR on Friday, the Bureau's member (Admin) Dr Faiz Illahi Memon, who was recruited by the former Chairperson Nausheen Javaid for this post, has been posted as Director General (Special Initiative), Karachi. Meanwhile, Bakhtiar Muhammad has been posted as the new member (Admin) as he was earlier working as member (FATE), FBR (Hq).

The newly appointed member (Admin) FBR (Hq) Islamabad, Bakhtiar Muhammad, a BPS-21 of IRS has assumed the charge by relinquishing the charge of member (FATE), said a separate notification of the FBR.

Hafiz Muhammad Ali Indhar, BPS-22 officer of IRS is transferred from member (Strategic Planning Reforms & Statistics), FBR (Hq) to member HRM.

The notification further said that Dr Lubna Ayub posted as Chief Commissioner RTO, Quetta from member FBR (Hq) and Ms Ambreen Iftikhar posted as member Reforms & Modernization FBR (Hq) from member HRM, FBR (Hq) and Sajidullah Siddiqui DG (Retail) FBR (Hq) from Chief Commissioner, Corporate RTO, Karachi.

Dr Aftab Imam posted again as Chief Commissioner, Corporate RTO, Karachi from Chief Commissioner, RTO, Quetta, Earlier, Aftab Imam had worked on the position of corporate tax unit Karachi during the tenure of former Chairman FBR Shabbar Zaidi last financial financial year. Tariq Mustafa Khan, who is serving Chief Commissioner, RTO, Gujranwala, also assigned additional charge of Chief Commissioner, RTO, Sialkot, said the notification.

Malik Amjad Zubair Tiwana posted as Commissioner, Large Taxpayer Unit (LTU) Islamabad from SA to secretary Revenue, Chairman FBR (Hq) and Naveed Khalid Khan posted as SA to Secretary Revenue/Chairman FBR (Hq) Islamabad, the notification concluded.

Originally published in The News