Attachment of bank accounts: FBR yet to withdraw orders despite Senate panel’s directives

ISLAMABAD: Despite clear directions of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has so far not withdrawn its new instructions with regard to attachment of bank accounts for recovery of tax.

On Wednesday, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance took up the agenda item of legal status of the FBR’s 2019 instructions on the attachment of the bank accounts.

The committee has decided to call the former FBR chairman Shabbar Zaidi, on the facilitative measures taken during his tenure through instructions on attachment of bank accounts.

During the committee’s proceedings on Wednesday, at the Parliament House, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla said that, “I have talked to Shabbar Zaidi and he is ready to come to the committee to explain the said instructions issued regarding prior approval of the FBR chairman before attachment of bank accounts.”

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Chairman of the committee Senator Talha Mahmood stated that the committee will request Zaidi to hear his viewpoint on the said facilitative measure highly appreciated by the business community. On the conclusion of the meeting, when Business Recorder asked the FBR officials about the status of the new FBR’s instructions, officials said that Zaidi’s instructions of 2019 were withdrawn. However, the new FBR instructions have not been withdrawn.

In the last meeting, the committee had recommended to the FBR to immediately withdraw its new instructions and intimate the chairman secretariat in this regard.

The committee had unanimously decided that the new instruction is against the promotion of tax culture and must be immediately withdrawn.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021