ISLAMABAD: The Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Amjad Zubair Tiwana preferred to seek early retirement at the twilight of his career when he was all set to clinch the dream position of getting promotion from grade 21 to 22 in the next Selection Board Meeting (CSB).
Amjad Zubair Tiwana, an Inland Revenue Service (IRS) Officer of grade 21, was appointed as the Chairman of FBR during the tenure of the last PDM-led government when former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar used to run the economy as finance minister.
Now some officers belonging to mighty DMG or PAS as well as within the fold of the tax machinery are the major contenders for the slot of Chairman FBR if the government decides to relieve the incumbent Chairman in the next few days.
After assuming the reins of power after winning the February last election and forming the government, the FBR Chairman came into the limelight and proved as the hottest seat among all bureaucracy. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif started chairing meetings on FBR issues every week. Just before the budget for the 2024-25 announcement, the FBR shook up and several senior officers were transferred and posted and many of them were placed in on administrative pool. For all practical purposes, the administrative pool means that they were suspended.
Then very tough revenue target of Rs 12970 billion was fixed under the IMF program. The FBR has achieved revenue collection of Rs 9311 billion against the revised target of Rs 9252 billion for the last financial year ended on June 30, 2024.
Now why the Chairman FBR Amjad Zubair Tiwana preferred to take such a drastic step?
The whole unwarranted situation got triggered last week on Friday when a high-level meeting was held on taxation issues. The agenda of the meeting was shared a night earlier on Thursday. When the meeting kick-started the FBR Chairman had to face severe criticism over the insertion of IRS officers into the Appellate Tribunal. The grilling was so acute that it resulted in heated debate. During this meeting, it was even conveyed that he might be sacked unceremoniously. At this point in time, the Chairman FBR reacted and conveyed to the PM Office verbally that he could not continue working as Chairman FBR.
On Monday last, he sent out PM Office in writing that he could not continue his assignment so it would be the choice of the government to appoint someone of their choice.
Some tax officers made all-out efforts to convince the incumbent Chairman FBR not to send his request to the government to relieve his charge but the Chairman FBR refused to accept the wish of tax officers arguing that he could not face such humiliations anymore.
There was complete uncertainty within the ranks and files of the FBR and the FBR high-ups were finding themselves in hot waters, facing severe criticism from all quarters. The tax machinery fetched Rs 9311 billion in revenues during the last fiscal year by achieving 30 percent growth in revenues despite a difficult economic environment.
The massive transfer/postings in the FBR were undertaken based on the intelligence agencies’ reports whereby they had categorized Hamid Ateeq Sarwar, Mir Badshah Wazir, Amjad Zubair Tiwana, Ms Sadia Gillani, and Mohammad Iqbal into category A while all other senior officers were placed into categories of B and C, having no possibility for consideration into going grade 22 and becoming next chairman. Some senior officers belong to the Customs group who are also vying to assume top positions in tax machinery.
