All is not well in FBR: Shabbar Zaidi to decide today on going on leave

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Shabbar Zaidi is not feeling well and will today (Friday) decide to go on leave for an indefinite period.

When The News contacted him in this regard Thursday night, he said, “I will decide on the medical advice tomorrow (Friday)”.

Rumors are rife in the federal capital that Shabbar had informed Adviser to the PM on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and other top government functionaries on Thursday that he wasgoing on a long leave from coming Monday. His aides told this reporter that Shabbar had cancelled many meetings this week, as he was not feeling well.

It has been learnt that Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh visited the FBR for the first time in six months leaving its top guns red faced, as he showed his displeasure at the FBR’s performance.

He also arranged several meetings with the textile tycoons at the finance ministry to resolve the issue of refunds payment through FASTER software but this lingering controversy could not be solved, disturbing him a lot. After the meeting at the FBR headquarters, the chairman applied for a two-week leave on medical grounds.

Earlier, Shabbar Zaidi had gone on a sick leave from January 6 to January 19. On January 11, the FBR rejected rumors about ‘any sort of rift in the government economic team'.

“Rumors of any sort of rift in the economic team is utterly incorrect," said the FBR in a statement adding that Shabbar Zaidi was on a two-week leave. However, insiders say things are not as smooth as has been claimed by the FBR. It is yet to see whether Shabbar will prefer to stay or leave the office after getting medical advice on Friday (today), concluded the sources.