Karachi: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO), Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah, has ordered the establishment of a help desk at the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) to address the tax-related issues faced by industrialists. The announcement came during a gathering of industrialists at KATI, where Dr. Jah emphasized the expansion of services to improve public and business community awareness of the FTO's role.

According to Korangi Association of Trade and Industry, Dr. Jah highlighted the FTO's commitment to efficient and swift resolution of tax complaints, noting that decisions typically required within 60 days are now being resolved in an average of 38 days under his tenure. In 2021 alone, significant tax refund complaints involving amounts as large as 17.8 billion rupees were redressed. Moreover, Dr. Jah pointed out the increased accessibility to the FTO through the addition of regional offices and faster handling of cases, including immediate resolutions for sales tax issues on vehicles affecting 800 individuals.

The meeting also addressed concerns from KATI President Johar Kandhari about increasing harassment of taxpayers by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials, including unjustified notices and audits. Complaints from the business community indicate a growing frustration with the tax filing system and refund processes, which are seen as slow and burdensome.

Additional comments from KATI’s Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya and Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan called for broader efforts to expand the tax net and enhance public understanding of the FTO’s services. They criticized the current tax measures for not effectively capturing new taxpayers and for placing undue burdens on existing ones.