FTO Received Record 13,500 Complaints Against FBR in 2024

Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) received a record number of 13,506 complaints against the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and disposed of 12,941 complaints mostly in favor of taxpayers during 2024.  Addressing a press conference on Wednesday at the FTO Headquarters, FTO officials informed during last calendar year ending December 31, 2024, FTO office received all time high number of complaints at 13,506.  Simultaneously, under the leadership of Federal Tax Ombudsman, FTO Secretariat, and all Regional Offices disposed of 12,914 complaints, which works out for 95.6 percent of total complaints.   This all-time high number of complaints is due to vigorous awareness sessions conducted by the FTO and his Advisors throughout the country, the officials said. The Chambers of Commerce & Industries of all big cities, Tax Bar Associations, Business Community Associations and Tax law practicing bodies were targeted to disseminate information about the role and functions of FTO organization, which resulted into this colossal number of complaints, they said.   As a result of outreach and Awareness Sessions, a record number of complaints and decisions of FTO were rolled out. Resultantly, grievances of thousands of complainants were redressed.     During the year under consideration, in addition to regular complaints, the FTO also encouraged poor and less privileged complainants for informal resolution of their grievances.   The total number of Own Motion initiatives stood at 32 through which relief was granted to large number of complainants.   Since FTO organization is a relief-oriented entity therefore this Secretariat provided relief to low paid employees by holding proper taxation of the same. In addition, thousands of folk artists were provided relief by ameliorating the situation in the then ongoing withholding taxes, the officials said.  Similarly, relief on account of tax rebate to teachers, in the relevant year, were also provided in a large number of cases, FTO officials added.