Federal Tax Ombudsman Achieves Record-Breaking Success in 2024

The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has made history by achieving an impressive 95.6% resolution rate in 2024, after disposing of a record-breaking 12,914 complaints. Faiz Elahi Memon, Advisor Incharge FTO, shared this remarkable achievement at a press briefing in Karachi, alongside other advisors including Gul Rehman, Badruddin Qureshi, and Majid Yousfani.

The FTO office successfully resolved 12,914 complaints out of 13,506 received in 2024, resulting in the release of around Rs 22 billion in tax refunds by the FBR, based on FTO recommendations. The South Region, which includes Karachi, Hyderabad, and Sukkur, saw a significant surge in complaints, with 2,477 cases reported. Karachi led the way with 1,989 cases, followed by Hyderabad with 335 and Sukkur with 153. This increase in complaints is largely attributed to an extensive public awareness campaign, which featured 78 outreach awareness sessions conducted throughout these regions.

One notable victory for consumers was when the FTO facilitated Rs 48 million in refunds to 800 vehicle owners who had been overcharged on sales tax by Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited. The refunds were issued after it was determined that customers had paid excess tax on vehicles up to 1000CC, where the actual applicable rate was 12.5 percent.

The FTO also demonstrated proactive oversight through suo moto actions, particularly in the education sector. Investigations were launched into more than 25 private sector medical colleges regarding excessive fee charges, with findings reported to relevant FBR authorities. Additionally, teachers' tax rebate issues received special attention, with the FTO successfully resolving complaints from educators who had been denied their rightful allowances by employers. This intervention provided significant relief to the teaching community who approached the Forum for assistance.

The record-breaking performance of the FTO highlights its crucial role in ensuring tax justice and maintaining transparency in the country's federal tax system, while providing substantial relief to taxpayers across various sectors