Axe falls on another senior taxman

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has agreed in principle to suspend another senior taxman, who sought adjournment in a case involving Rs456 million in tax payments, for allegedly demonstrating lack of commitment to resolving tax concerns, Dawn has learnt through reliable sources. They said FBR Chairman Zubair Tiwana forwarded the name of Sahibzada Abdul Mateen, chief commissioner of Medium Taxpayers Office (MTO), Karachi, to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for suspension or removal from his current position. Mr Mateen will become Inland Revenue Service’s (IRS) second senior officer after Yousif Hyder Shaikh, chief commissioner-IR, Large Taxpayers Office, Islamabad, who was suspended with immediate effect for 120 days on April 23 on the same charges of seeking adjournment in a case in the Islamabad High Court. A senior tax official told Dawn that the competent authority in such cases is the prime minister. “As of today, I can confirm that no notification has been issued [about suspension of the officer],” the official said; however, the notification is expected to be issued on Thursday (today).