President Zardari Rejects FBR’s Bid To Withhold Taxpayer Records

President Asif Ali Zardari has declined a request from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to prevent the release of taxpayer records. The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) upheld the taxpayer's right to access tax assessment documents in a case involving a non-resident taxpayer. The FTO directed the tax authorities to provide the documents within 15 days.

However, the FBR appealed to the President, who dismissed the appeal, finding no error in the FTO's decision. This decision reinforces transparency and accountability in tax proceedings, as taxpayers should have access to records related to their own cases. Waheed Shahzad Butt, representing the taxpayer, welcomed the decision and urged the FBR field formations to comply with similar Federal Tax Ombudsman directions promptly.

With the representation dismissed, the taxpayer is now required to receive the requested records as per the Federal Tax Ombudsman's order.