NBR officers declare chairman persona non grata at headquarters
They made the announcement through a press statement tonight
The NBR Reform Unity Council, a platform for officers opposed to the government's planned changes, today (29 May) declared the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan as persona non grata at the revenue building until he is removed from his post.
They made the announcement through a press statement tonight.
"We hope that in the interest of the state and the people, the government will assign the responsibility to a person with a background of tax-revenue formulation, tax-revenue collection and practical work experience," the statement read.
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The statement further said that although the finance ministry assured to meet some of their demands, the second demand of the Reform Unity Council, which was immediate removal of the current NBR chairman — remains unfulfilled as of the stipulated deadline, which was today, reports UNB.
Despite assurances that the matter is under active consideration by the government, no final decision has yet been announced regarding the removal of the NBR chairman.
The council expressed hope that, given the government's recent proactive stance, a conclusive decision will be taken soon to pave the way for meaningful reforms in the revenue sector.
The NBR Reform Unity Council stated that the chairman poses a serious threat to the integrity of ongoing reform initiatives.
The council accused him of persistently obstructing the implementation of legitimate demands, engaging in process tampering, and covertly advancing an agenda that could undermine the fundamental structure of the nation's revenue administration.
They reiterated that the ongoing non-cooperation movement, announced earlier as part of the demand for the chairman's removal, will continue unabated.
"There is a severe crisis of trust and confidence in the current NBR chairman," the statement read.
The chairman has allegedly acted with secrecy and non-cooperation throughout the drafting process of a recently issued ordinance.
The council also alleged that he created significant barriers to conveying the aspirations and expectations of NBR officers to the government regarding the future structure of revenue policy.
Referring to his past role under what they called a "fascist regime," the council accused him of contributing to chaos in the banking sector and halting critical audit operations within the NBR to benefit a specific group post-July.
Moreover, the statement criticised the chairman's "unprecedented and irrational" mid-fiscal-year VAT rate hikes, which reportedly triggered instability in the economy.
"The chairman has continuously obstructed the creation of a constructive dialogue between the NBR Reform Unity Council and the government. By misleading the government about our demands, he has deliberately prolonged and complicated the situation," the statement added.
The council called on the government to take immediate, decisive action in the national interest and ensure the success of much-needed reforms in the country's revenue sector.
