Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Malik Amjad Zubair Tiwana has requested early retirement, citing irreconcilable differences with the Prime Minister’s Office, according to a report by The Express Tribune. Tiwana has opted for retirement effective August 15th, six months before his scheduled superannuation.
Confirming the news, Tiwana revealed that he had been considering premature retirement due to consistent pressure and interference from the Prime Minister’s Office. He initially postponed the decision to focus on the budget and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Sources disclosed that Tiwana’s decision was cemented following a contentious meeting last Friday, where the prime minister expressed displeasure over various issues, including FBR’s handling of tax affairs, the construction of FBR office buildings through public-private partnerships, and reform initiatives. The Prime Minister’s Office reportedly felt that Tiwana was not fully transparent, leading to delays in decision-making.
During the meeting, the prime minister hinted at the possibility of appointing a new leader to spearhead reforms in the FBR. In response, Tiwana submitted his retirement request to the Prime Minister’s Office and the finance minister on Monday evening.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb responded cautiously, stating, “We will always respect requests coming from all quarters in terms of early retirements. These need to be properly discussed ahead of final decisions.“