Dr Najeeb appointed first DG of Tax Policy Office

ISLAMABAD: With the approval of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the government on Friday notified the appointment of Dr Najeeb Ahmad Memon as the first director general of the Tax Policy Office (TPO) in the Finance Division on a Special Professional Pay Scale (SPPS-1).

According to a notification issued by the Finance Division, the prime minister has approved the appointment of Dr Najeeb Ahmad Memon as DG (SPPS-1) of the Tax Policy Office on a contract basis for a period of two years, with immediate effect and until further orders. Dr Memon is expected to take charge next week.

The establishment of the TPO is a key part of the government’s economic reform agenda, approved by the federal cabinet earlier this year. The new office will be responsible for formulating tax proposals and forecasting revenue potential, separating this function from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), which will now focus solely on the operational collection of taxes.

In a related development, an IMF Technical Mission is expected to visit Islamabad in November 2025 to assist in making the newly established TPO operational and effective. The mission, scheduled to arrive on November 8, will help formulate policies and define the functions of the new office.

This move aligns with Pakistan’s commitments to the IMF, which include developing a comprehensive framework for standardised evaluations of tax policy measures and ensuring evidence-based policymaking. The authorities have also agreed to finalise data-sharing arrangements between the FBR and the TPO and establish a collaboration framework to ensure coordination between the TPO and the FBR’s International Centre of Tax Excellence (ICTE).

To staff the new office, the Ministry of Finance has appointed several directors, including Ajaz Hussain and four officials from the FBR. Khalid Mahmood from the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) has also been appointed as a director.