ISLAMABAD: Dr Asif Mahmood Jah, the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) said Thursday that it was the responsibility of the state to ensure self-respect of the taxpayers and criminal cases should be filed against tax officials involved in malpractices and corruption.

Taking another positive step for the facilitation of the business community, the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has set up a Facilitation Desk of the FTO in its premises, which was formally inaugurated by FTO Dr Jah, during a ceremony held at the ICCI.

president ICCI Mohammad Shakeel Munir, senior vice president ICCI Jamshed Akhtar, senior advisor media Sarwat Tahira Habib, advisor customs Dr Arslan Subuctageen, legal advisor Govinda Akmas, Collector, Collectorate Customs and Industry Mohammad Junaid Jalil Khan, and other stakeholders were also present on the occasion.

With the establishment of the FTO Facilitation Desk, the aggrieved members of the ICCI would now be able to lodge complaints on any tax issue against the functionaries administering the federal taxes and get their grievances resolved through this facility.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Dr Jah said that protecting the interests of taxpayers was the key priority of this organisation and the FTO is providing relief to the taxpayers by carrying out independent investigations about the maladministration by functionaries administering the federal taxes.

He said the FTO would work with the FBR for setting timelines for tax cases to ensure their timely disposal.

He said criminal cases should be filed against those tax functionaries who were involved in malpractices and corruption. He said ensuring the self-respect of taxpayers was the responsibility of the State and the State should honour this responsibility.

He said that a fair, just, efficient, and simplified tax system was needed to promote tax culture in the country. He appreciated the efforts of the ICCI for providing better facilities to its members by setting up facilitation desks of various organisations that would help in resolving their key issues and promoting business activities. Speaking on the occasion, Munir said the ICCI was striving to provide maximum facilitation to its members in business promotion and the establishment of the FTO Facilitation Desk at Chamber was another right step in that direction.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022