ISLAMABAD: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has disposed of 6,703 cases of taxpayers filed against the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) as compared to 6,766 complaints filed with the FTO during January-October 2023.
Data compiled on Monday revealed that 23.15 percent increase has been witnessed in the number of complaints filed by the aggrieved taxpayers with the FTO during January-October 2023. The trend reflected growing cases of maladministration in the tax machinery.
The FTO office received 6,766 complaints during January-October 2023 against 5,494 complaints received in the same period of 2022.
During January-October 2021, the number of complaints filed totaled at 2,414 as compared to 5,494 complaints filed in 2022, reflecting an increase of 127.59 percent.
The trend of disposal of complaints showed that the FTO has decided 2,238 complaints during January-October 2021 as compared to 5,116 complaints disposed of in January-October 2022, showing an increase of 128.60 percent.
The FTO has disposed of 6,703 complaints during January-October 2023 as compared to 5,116 complaints in January-October 2022, reflecting an increase of 31.02 percent.
Sources said that the significant increase in the number of complaints, indicates the enhanced trust of the taxpayers in the FTO office for speedy redressal. In a majority of cases, due relief was provided to the taxpayers to supplement the government’s tax-friendly initiative.
Their genuine problems were addressed and all available resources have been utilised to mitigate their sufferings due to red tape. Moreover, strict disciplinary action was recommended against the inefficient, delinquent, and corrupt tax officers/officials of the FBR.
Sources revealed that the president of Pakistan has recently rejected dozens of representations filed by the FBR against the FTO orders. However, the FBR has not stopped from filing of representations against the FTO with the president.
The FBR has filed representatives against almost all decisions of the FTO in favor of the taxpayers. There are cases of frivolous litigation where there is no chance of accepting representations of the FBR, but the same has been taken up with the president.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023