ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister’s Office has constituted a high-level Task Force to examine and give proposals for overhauling legal wing of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
The 10-member Task Force, headed by Shad Mohammad, comprises senior legal and operational officials from the FBR, CEO Pakistan Single Window, technical advisors, representative of the Attorney General Office, and the eminent constitutional and tax lawyer Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar, an advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The Task Force is a major step toward reforming, revamping and strengthening the FBR revenue litigation framework at all levels including initial adjudication by tax department, Commissioner/ Collector Appeals, Appellate Tribunals, Inland Revenue and Customs, High Courts, Supreme Court and the Federal Constitutional Court.
The federal government has recognised growing concerns over persistent gaps in litigation management that have hindered effective representations and enforcement of tax and customs laws.
The Terms of Reference (TORs) provide the Task Force with a broad and critical mandate. Members are required to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing legal wings, covering workload management, human and logistical resources, and overall operational capacity.
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The review will focus on identifying structural weaknesses, procedural bottlenecks, and systemic inefficiencies that contribute to prolonged litigation and delayed resolution of tax and customs disputes. Additionally, the Task Force is tasked with proposing a robust framework for the revised legal wings that enhances efficiency, improves interdepartmental coordination, and minimizes pendency across all levels of litigation.
A key component of the review will be the Litigation Management System (LMS), which has faced challenges in integration with appellate tribunals and superior courts. The Task Force is expected to recommend reforms that ensure a more effective, data-driven, and institutionally coordinated approach to litigation. Potential measures include enhanced case-tracking mechanisms, streamlined communication between legal divisions and operational wings, and targeted capacity-building of legal staff to strengthen FBR’s ability to defend its position in complex tax and customs disputes.
The Task Force will cover all stages of litigation, including matters before the Appellate Tribunal (AT) and superior courts, with the flexibility to co-opt additional members as required. The FBR will provide full secretarial support, and the Task Force is mandated to submit its report by 15th April 2026. Legal experts and stakeholders view this initiative as a pivotal step toward addressing long-standing operational and legal gaps in FBR litigation, ensuring that Pakistan’s revenue administration can more effectively safeguard public resources while maintaining transparency, accountability, and legal compliance.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026