ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Amjad Zubair Tiwana has requested early retirement, giving a two-week notice to step down from his position, as per media report.
Amjad Zubair Tiwana, a grade 21 Inland Revenue Service (IRS) officer, was set to retire from service in February 2025.
He has informed the government in writing that he wishes to leave his post and will be seeking early retirement. Top official sources close to the PM’s office confirmed to the private media that the pace of reforms, including digitalisation, in the FBR was unsatisfactory.
The sources said that Tiwana had met with Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and PM’s close aide on the Establishment Division, Ahad Cheema, and verbally informed him that he could not continue to head the FBR.
Tiwana has now written to the PM Office stating that he cannot continue his assignment and that the government should appoint someone else.
FBR high-ups told private media that tax officers made every effort to convince Tiwana not to send his request to the government for relieving his charge, but he refused.
Reports close to the FBR chairman state that the tax machinery generated Rs9,311 billion in revenue during the last fiscal year, achieving a 30 percent growth in revenues despite the difficult economic environment.
He faced criticism regarding the issues of digitisation and the bifurcation between the IRS and Customs groups.
This scribe sent questions to the FBR chairman to seek his views on the request for early retirement, but he did not respond.
