ISLAMABAD: Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Dr Asif Mahmood Jah has said that his office ordered Pak Suzuki, a subsidiary of Japanese automaker Suzuki in Pakistan, to refund its 45,000 customers who were charged sales tax at the rate of 17 percent instead of 12.5 percent.
During a press briefing, when he was questioned about the refund case of Pak Suzuki, Dr Jah informed that his office had categorically ordered Pak Suzuki to refund the difference to all its over 45,000 customers.
He said, on the public demand, more regional offices were being established in the major cities. With respect to non-custom paid vehicles, the FTO said the government had recently impounded seven such vehicles from Sialkot and four from Lahore.
Dr Jah said that the office received 636 public complaints against the maladministration of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials during the past two months.
“Out of the total complaints, 360 were either accepted or recommendations were made to FBR for redress the complaints. Since taking office about two months ago, I am actively engaged with the chambers of commerce and industries of all major cities besides holding meetings with tax bar representatives to ensure compliance of the complaints,” he added.
He said investigations against some 15 FBR officers were conducted during his tenure. However, the names of the officers involved in the maladministration could not be revealed due to some reasons, he added.
When asked about complaints of the taxpayers against tax officers, the FTO said that the mandate of the office was to resolve the taxpayers’ grievances, therefore the taxpayers having such complaints of harassment by the tax officials must lodge their complaints with the FTO.
He said, unlike the past practice, he himself was overseeing the cases personally and trying to resolve the complaints as soon as possible,” he added. He said he took the officers in confidence that the officers who were not involved in any corruption, need not to worry as no action would be taken against them. But the corrupt officers would not be relieved in any case.
Further, he informed that on the direction of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the FTO facilitation desks had been established at all the airports and Chaman and Torkham borders.
