ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government on Tuesday posted a senior officer of Pakistan Administration Services (PAS), Dr Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan, as chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

Mr Khan has also been given the additional post of secretary Revenue Division.

The outgoing FBR head, Ms Rukhsana Yasmin, who was posted as the first woman chairperson of the board on July 2 by the interim government, currently awaits directives on her new posting.

Dr Jehanzeb has served in Punjab for 10 years. He was serving as the secretary Board of Investment after being transferred by interim provincial government.

Previously, he has served as the chairman Planning and Development Board during the PML-N government.

PTI has emerged as the third consecutive party after PPP and PML-N to have posted non-tax officers from PAS to head FBR right at the start of their respective terms.

Cabinet approves immediate removal of NBP president

The PPP government had posted PAS officers including Sohail Ahmed, followed by Salman Siddique as chairmen FBR, while the PML-N government followed the previous government’s tradition when it posted Tariq Bajwa, a senior officer of PAS as chairman FBR.

Continuing the trend, the new government also posted a PAS officer to the senior position at FBR much to the dismay of tax officials who are currently posted as members in the revenue body.

Finance Minister Asad Umar told Dawn that the posting of Jehanzeb is the beginning of reforms in the FBR. He said tax reforms will be introduced after consultation with all stakeholders. The finance minister also claimed that he has already forwarded a summary for introducing reforms within the FBR to the cabinet.

However, Information Minister Fawad Chau­dhary did not shed any light on the status of reforms. The only decision taken by the government is to appoint a new chairman of the FBR, he added.

Meanwhile, the cabinet also approved removal of President National Bank of Pakistan Saeed Ahmed with immediate effect.

The information minister said that Mr Saeed was accused of laundering money for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

He said that it was the responsibility of the previous government to remove him from the key post as he is also being investigated by the National Accountability Bureau.

Mr Fawad said that all cases against Mr Saeed will be pursued by the relevant departments.

The NBP’s Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Assets Recovery Group Tariq Jamali has been appointed acting president of the bank.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2018