PESHAWAR: Sardar Ali Khwaja, Advisor to the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) in Peshawar, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to expediting taxpayer grievances and safeguarding their legal entitlements.

In a recent meeting convened at the FTO Regional Office in Peshawar, Sardar Ali Khwaja underscored the FTO’s mandate to promptly address taxpayers’ concerns and provide necessary legal support.

The gathering, attended by officers and principals from various educational institutions across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), delved into the intricacies of taxation within the education sector. Principals Riaz Ahmad Bahar and Samiullah Khalil led the delegation, expressing gratitude towards FTO officials for their swift response to tax-related issues and provision of legal assistance.

FTO’s involvement has spurred a comprehensive review of taxation matters within the tax department. Collaborating closely with the FTO, challenges surrounding tax rebates for teachers have been effectively resolved. However, hurdles persist regarding the refund of taxes deducted without appropriate rebates, an issue still awaiting resolution.

Sardar Ali Khwaja acknowledged the guidance provided by Dr. Asif Mehmood Jah, Chairman FTO, highlighting that, per his counsel, matters concerning tax rebates for officials of schools and other institutes registered with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and regularly filing annual tax returns will be expedited.

They will receive rebates in line with legal provisions, with a focus on addressing pending tax refund issues from previous years. In response to these developments, all regional offices of the FTO have been directed to prioritize the swift resolution of taxation matters.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024