PM Shehbaz approves Zubair Tiwana appointment as new FBR chief

• Three candidates' names proposed for the position of FBR chief.
• Asim Ahmed retires after reaching age of superannuation on July 30.
• New head faces a daunting task of achieving tax collection target.

ISLAMABAD: Malik Amjad Zubair Tiwana, a grade-21 officer of the Inland Revenue Service (IRS), has been appointed as the new chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), sources told Geo News Tuesday.

According to a summary forwarded in this regard, three candidates' names were proposed for the coveted position: Rashid Mahmood Langrial, an officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service group; Amjad Zubair Tiwana, presently serving as FBR member IRS Operations; and Syed Nadeem Rizvi, member administration and most senior among the contenders.

However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the appointment of Tiwana as the new head of the tax collection body.

Asim Ahmed, who was appointed as the tax body's chief by the Shehbaz-led government on April 27 last year, completed his tenure and retired after reaching the age of superannuation on July 30.

Ahmed had also served as the FBR chairman in 2021 for a few months ahead of Javed Ghani's retirement but was replaced after a data-hacking incident occurred in the FBR.

At the time of reappointment for the role, he was number three on the seniority list of IRS officers.

The new head of the tax collection authority will face a daunting task as the country has set a target of Rs9.415 trillion for the current fiscal year as committed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Following in the footsteps of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, the present regime has also preferred to appoint Tiwana — a junior officer.

The PTI had appointed Dr Ashfaq Ahmed as FBR chairman, who was junior to at least 11 officers of the top tax body. Tiwana is junior to 21 officers in the top tax collection authority.