Notification for Zaidi's appointment as FBR chairman could not be issued
Zaidi is currently serving in the Ministry of Finance
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The notification for the appointment of newly announced Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman Shabbar Zaidi could not be issued two days after Prime Minister Imran Khan announced his appointment.
According to Dunya news, Establishment Division has been directed to send a summary for his appointment. The notification circulation for his appointment will be issued after approval of summary.
Sources said that the senior officials of FBR, Inland Revenue in their meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan had opposed Shabbar Zaidi’s appointment.
Zaidi is currently serving in the Ministry of Finance and was also a part of dialogue team along with Hafeez Sheikh and Hammad Azhar.
On May 6, Prime Minister Imran Khan has appointed Syed Shabbar Zaidi as chairperson of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The prime minister made the announcement on Monday during a conversation with senior media persons in the federal capital.
The appointment of Zaidi, a renowned economist and tax affairs expert, came days after the removal of Jahanzeb Khan from the position as head of the tax collection body.
Syed Shabbar Zaidi is a Pakistani chartered accountant and former caretaker Provincial Minister of Sindh, who served in 2013 caretaker ministry. He is also a senior partner in A. F. Ferguson & Co., a member firm of PwC.
He is mainly known for his extensive contribution towards development of taxation and fiscal laws of the country.
Syed Shabbar Zaidi has also authored many books, including Panama Leaks – A Blessing in Disguise – Offshore Assets of Pakistani Citizens, A Journey for Clarity and Pakistan: Not a Failed State.
On Saturday, the government appointed Dr Reza Baqir – a Pakistani economist working for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – as the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.
The key appointments to the key positions come as Islamabad seeks to finalise a bailout package from the global lender IMF.
Last month, Finance Minister Asad Umar was asked to step down amid vital bailout negotiations with the IMF, suggesting the government wants to overhaul its financial team amid weakening growth rates and soaring inflation.
Prime Minister Imran Khan appointed Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh as Adviser on Finance following Umar s resignation, as inflation rose to its highest in six years.
