2 min read
The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has achieved a historic milestone by resolving 57,000 taxpayer complaints in just four years surpassing the total of 37,000 cases handled over the past two decades, according to FTO Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah.
Since assuming office, Dr. Jah focused on ensuring fast, transparent, and cost-free justice for taxpayers. His reforms streamlined complaint registration, reduced case resolution time, and improved refund facilitation, significantly boosting taxpayer trust in the FTO system.
Key Achievements
| Performance Metric | Previous Average | Under Dr. Jah |
| Complaints Resolved | 37,000 (in 21 years) | 57,000 (in 4 years) |
| Average Decision Time | 90+ days | 30 days (some within hours) |
| Refunds Issued | – | Rs. 18B (FY2023), Rs. 23B (FY2024) |
| New FTO Offices | 3 | 13 Nationwide |
Speaking at a farewell reception hosted by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Dr. Jah highlighted his focus on quick justice and digital accessibility.
“We made complaint registration as easy as sending a WhatsApp message,” he said. “Our goal was to deliver free, fair, and fast justice to every taxpayer.”
He noted that coordination with chambers of commerce strengthened public-private collaboration, while the introduction of honorary advisors from the business community enhanced outreach.
KCCI leaders, including Vice Chairman Jawed Bilwani and President Rehan Hanif, lauded Dr. Jah’s tenure, crediting his proactive role for “reducing taxpayer hardships” and ensuring that all FTO decisions were implemented by the FBR.
The event was attended by KCCI office bearers, former presidents, senior customs officials, and FTO advisors, who praised the transformation of the tax grievance system under Dr. Jah’s leadership.
