Public interest complaints: President directs FTO to produce complete record

Business Recorder reported that the President of Pakistan has instructed the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) to hand over all documents linked to public interest complaints filed by Muhammad Azhar Siddique, who chairs the Judicial Activism Panel (JAP). The President also put on hold the orders the FTO issued while a representation against them is pending. The move follows a representation from JAP challenging an FTO order on complaints about alleged corrupt practices at the FBR.

The directive, dated 17 September 2026, asks for certified copies of the whole file: first complaints, later orders, the department's response, any rejoinder, annexures and cited judgments and laws. It also requests a soft copy of the order in Word format. The President's office cited Section 14 (2) of the Federal Ombudsman Institutional Reforms Act 2013, under which the contested decision stays suspended for 60 days once a representation reaches the President.

The FBR has been asked to submit written comments in hard and soft copy within seven days, failing which a decision will be taken on the existing record. The Secretariat also wants the dates when the order was passed, dispatched and received by the parties. Copies have been marked to the FBR chairman and the FTO registrar for action, and to Siddique for information.