Rashid Mahmood’s appointment as FBR chairman sparks controversy over overlooked senior officers

The recent appointment of Rashid Mahmood as Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has ignited debate, as it appears that a number of senior FBR officers were bypassed for the role.

According to sources, Mahmood’s appointment has overlooked 24 senior officers in the field and 6 at the FBR headquarters, highlighting concerns over the lack of a seniority-based appointment process at the FBR—a stark contrast to other key institutions.

Further sources reveal that Members of Customs Operations are currently on extended leave, and many senior officers are absent, which points to potential inefficiencies within the department

Notably, Mahmood’s predecessors, including Amjad Zubair Tawana, Asim Ahmed, and Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmed, were also appointed despite more senior officers being available, raising questions about the appointment criteria.

The timing of this appointment is particularly critical as the government faces a daunting tax target of Rs12.31 trillion for the coming 11 months. According to Mettis Global, if revenue collection falls short, even by a month or two, achieving this goal will be increasingly difficult.

In addition to these challenges, the new chairman will need to navigate ambitious revenue collection targets and oversee essential system digitisation efforts.