The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) formally presented the Annual Report 2025 to the President of Pakistan, highlighting the Secretariat’s performance and reaffirming its commitment to strengthening tax administration and grievance redressal across the country.
Briefing the Hon’ble President, the FTO apprised him that a total of 37,160 fresh complaints were registered during 2025, compared to 13,506 in 2024, reflecting growing public confidence in the institution. Of the 39,000 complaints and cases processed during the year — which included 1,809 cases carried forward, four Own Motion cases, and 6,428 Informal Complaints — 35,830 were successfully disposed of, marking a significant rise from 12,742 disposals in 2024.
The Report further noted that of the 1,802 representations decided by the Hon’ble President during the year, only 24 were set aside, reflecting the consistency and merit of the Secretariat’s adjudications. Refund claims amounting to Rs. 13,171.19 million were also resolved and disbursed to aggrieved taxpayers by the Federal Board of Revenue during 2025.
The FTO also updated the President on the institution’s performance in 2026 to date, noting that 15,361 complaints have been registered, 15,237 disposed of, and 11,327 fully implemented, with refunds amounting to Rs. 33,206 million processed for taxpayers so far this year.
During the presentation, the Federal Tax Ombudsman outlined a series of key institutional initiatives for 2026. These include a strategic shift toward systemic reform within the FBR, aimed at addressing the root causes of maladministration rather than individual symptoms alone; a comprehensive digital transformation drive integrating artificial intelligence into the complaint management system; and a complete rewrite of the FTO Regulations to align with global best practices in tax administration.
The President was also briefed on the establishment of a dedicated Refund Cell for expeditious resolution of small-value refund claims, and the Secretariat’s continued success in maintaining zero pendency beyond the statutory 60-day limit. Additionally, the FTO highlighted the introduction of a fast-track resolution mechanism for Overseas Pakistanis, and dedicated facilitation extended to the diplomatic community in Pakistan for the resolution of tax-related grievances.
On this occasion, the Federal Tax Ombudsman sought the Hon’ble President’s support on two matters of urgent institutional need: the allocation of additional and suitable office premises for the FTO Secretariat, Islamabad, in view of current space constraints at the Engineering Council Building; and continued support for the induction of state-of-the-art IT and AI solutions to further enhance the institution’s efficiency and service delivery.
The President appreciated the performance of the FTO Secretariat and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to supporting the institution in fulfilling its constitutional mandate.
