Shabbar aims to chase low, nil filers

ISLAMABAD: The newly appointed FBR Chairman Shabbar Zaidi on Thursday outlined his priorities areas including restoring confidence of demoralised workforce within the fold of the FBR and said that they would go against those who were filing much below tax amount than their real potential.

“If someone is paying Rs80 out of due tax of Rs100, the FBR may not go against him but if someone is paying zero amount against due tax amount of Rs100, the FBR will take actions to meet the requirement of national kitty,” Shabbar Zaidi said while talking to The News after issuance of formal notification regarding his appointment as FBR chairman on Thursday night.

He outlined his priority areas including restoring confidence of workforce working into the fold of the FBR, secondly increasing reliance on voluntary compliance, reducing interaction between taxpayer and tax officials and moving towards automation as much as possible. He said when the tax system would improve, it would ultimately result into achieving growth in revenues.

When asked about his strategy for achieving ambitious tax collection target after entering into IMF arrangement, he said that he would focus only on potential low or nil filers instead of those who are part of the tax system.

Meanwhile, the government has finally notified appointment of Syed Muhammad Shabbar Zaidi as Chairman of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on honorary basis/pro bono basis for a period of two years.

According to notification issued by Establishment Division on Thursday stating that the government was pleased to appoint Syed Muhammad Shabbar Zaidi as FBR chairman on honorary basis/pro bono basis for a period of two years with immediate effect and until further orders.

The government considers that with appointment on honorary basis will foil attempts to approach any court of law by citing example of former FBR chairman Ali Arshad Hakeem whose appointment was declared unlawful by Islamabad High Court. At the top level within the FBR ranks, there is complete compliance as all officers have assured the government to abide by the decision taken by the chief executive of the country.

However, the office bearers of the Officers Associations were of the view that they would hold detailed consultations with their members before taking any extreme steps. They did not rule out possibility for considering approaching the court of law by presenting different summaries as in one of them the Establishment Division had raised some objections and on these grounds they might go to the court. However, they stated that the final decision in this regard would be made after a few days after completion of detailed consultation with leadership.