KARACHI: Exporters have received Rs6.89 billion tax refunds pending with tax authorities as result of cognisance and orders passed by Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) in 2018.

Advisor to FTO on customs and sales tax, Shahid Ahmad said on Thursday during his visit to PHMA house here.

He said the FTO secretariat received around 2400 complaints whereby 25 percent complaints were resolved at the initial stage. As many as 72 percent decisions of complaints were arrived in the favour of taxpayers.

The FBR has not filed any representative in 93 percent complaint cases being disposed of by FTO.

"As result of cognisance and orders passed by FTO the taxpayers have received refunds worth 6.89 billion rupees."

Currently FTO dispose of complaints in 43 days timeline which was previously 60 days and efforts are underway to further reduce this timeline.

The ratio of complaints being filed with FTO related to income tax is 54 percent, Sales Tax is 26 percent and Customs is 12 percent.