Following the early retirement plea of Chairman FBR Amjad Zubair Tiwana, senior officers from Inland Revenue and Pakistan Customs have begun lobbying for the top position in the tax department.

Sources told Raised by Numbers that that the government may appoint a new Chairman FBR from within the department, from other services, or even from the private sector.

Several names are being considered for the new Chairman FBR.

These include Hamid Atiq Sarwar, Advisor (Revenue) in the Revenue Mobilization, Investment, and Trade Programme by FCDO UK; Faiz Ahmed Chaddar, Director General (DG) Customs Academy; former Chairman FBR Dr. Ashfaq; and Secretary Power Rashid Langrial.

Hamid Atiq Sarwar has previously served as Member IR Policy, while Faiz Ahmed Chaddar has held the position of Director General Customs Intelligence.

The Shehbaz Sharif-led PDM government had also appointed Tariq Pasha as Revenue Advisor, and now State Minister for Finance, Revenue, and Energy Ali Pervaiz Malik has started working at the FBR headquarters.

Sources added that the government will select a new Chairman FBR who can effectively implement the reform agenda, including the digitization of the FBR.

It is pertinent to note that FBR Chairman Malik Amjad Zubair Tiwana has sought early retirement from service, effective August 15, six months ahead of reaching the age of superannuation.