FTO Dismisses All Overseas Tax Advisers, Aims to Hire Prominent Pakistanis Abroad

The Federal Tax Ombudsman has announced plans to appoint well-known overseas Pakistanis as honorary advisers in various countries, in consultation with the Foreign Office. This initiative aims to ensure better support for Pakistanis living abroad and streamline the handling of tax-related complaints.

In the first phase, all previous overseas advisers working in foreign tax jurisdictions were removed. The FTO has now approached the Foreign Office to initiate the second phase, which involves appointing new honorary advisers in key countries. These appointments are intended to address concerns raised over past practices, where foreign advisory positions were criticized for lacking transparent selection processes, merit-based evaluation, or legal authorization. Countries previously affected included Canada, USA, UK, Sweden, Hong Kong, Finland, Spain, and other European nations.

The FTO has instructed its Secretariat to prioritize complaints from overseas Pakistanis against the Federal Board of Revenue to prevent delays and difficulties. Officials emphasized that Pakistanis living abroad play a crucial role in the national economy, providing foreign exchange and projecting a positive image of Pakistan internationally.

Overseas Pakistanis can submit complaints or seek assistance through multiple channels, including designated advisers, helplines (051-9212437 / 042-99204140), WhatsApp (0334-0544460), social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, the FTO App, email at [email protected], or directly via the FTO website. This effort reflects a commitment to resolving overseas Pakistanis’ issues efficiently, transparently, and effectively.