ISLAMABAD: Tensions flared during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior after lawmakers accused officials of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) of providing misleading information regarding the country’s tax collection performance.
Convener Senator Saifullah Abro strongly criticized FBR officials, alleging that they had concealed facts and presented false tax data to Parliament in an attempt to cover up the tax authority’s failure to meet its revenue collection targets.
The situation escalated when Senator Abro directed the FBR’s Chief Operations Officer to leave the committee meeting, expressing dissatisfaction with the official’s explanations.
During the proceedings, the senator also questioned the competence of senior FBR management, claiming that “three to four officers have ruined the entire system.” He further asked why officials accused of submitting inaccurate information to Parliament continued to hold key positions within the tax authority.
The criticism comes amid increasing parliamentary scrutiny of the FBR’s tax collection performance, revenue targets, and transparency in reporting to legislative committees.
The Federal Board of Revenue has not yet issued an official response to the allegations raised during the committee meeting.
