ISLAMABAD: Amidst speculations about differences in the economic team, the federal government is mulling over replacing incumbent Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman Syed Shabbar Zaidi, ARY News reported on Monday, citing sources.
The development comes two days after Shabbar Zaidi went on an indefinite leave owing to ill-health.
The sources privy to the development relayed the government is considering a number of senior officers of the Ministry of Finance for the coveted post. Chartered accountants from the private sector are also among those being considered for the slot.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Ahmed Mujtaba Memon is being tipped as hot favourite for the post.
Also Read: FBR chief Shabbar Zaidi goes on indefinite leave
Zaidi had gone on indefinite leave, according to a government notification issued on Saturday.
BS-22 officer Nausheen Javed Amjad has taken over the charge as acting chairman of the FBR.
Zaidi has gone on indefinite leave due to health issues, according to the sources.
Shabbar Zaidi had resumed his office on Jan 21 after a two-week leave for health reasons.
Also Read: FBR collects Rs 320 bn tax during Jan 2020
“Speculations of any rift in the economic team is utterly incorrect,” the FBR had said in a statement.
The FBR has missed revised revenue collection target for the first half year of the current fiscal by Rs287 billion against the target of Rs2.367 trillion despite several measures and double-digit consumer inflation.
It is to be mentioned here that a technical team of International Monetary Fund is expected to start review of the revenue collection performance of the taxation authority from the next week.
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