ISLAMABAD: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has taken notice of an illegal tax recovery by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) through the coercive measure of attachment of bank account of a taxpayer.

The FTO has reprimanded the IRS officers for harassing taxpayer with warning for illegal actions.

As per details, Usman Iqbal Aujla through tax lawyer Waheed Shahzad Butt had filed complaint against the maladministration by FBR functionaries to recover funds from his bank accounts without following due process of law. After comprehensive investigation and detailed hearings before the Adviser Rana Hassan Akhtar, a landmark order has been issued by the FTO Dr Asif Jah against the FBR functionaries involved in illegal tax recovery moves.

When contacted Waheed Butt told that while recovery from the bank account of the taxpayer, the conduct of FBR officers was tantamount to maladministration and administrative excess in the discharge of duties were also the acts of maladministration, for which the forum of FTO is the only remedy.

FTO recommended FBR to direct the CCIR concerned to reprimand the officer concerned who took the coercive measure in this case during the pendency of appeal before the CIR (Appeals), in clear violation of FBR’s own Circulars.

The FBR should direct the Member-IR (Operations), to examine such cases across the country and to see whether instructions conveyed are being complied with and to take remedial action wherever required and issue warning to the tax functionaries involved in violation of said instructions, FTO ordered.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024