Attorney General of Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, informed the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue on Wednesday that the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) does not have the authority or jurisdiction over cases related to the classification of goods and determination of taxes.
During the meeting chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, the Attorney General clarified that the FTO’s office cannot intervene in matters such as tax assessment, classification of imported goods, or valuation. He explained that decisions regarding the pricing and classification of goods fall under the jurisdiction of the Customs Classification Committee.
He further elaborated that under Section 9 of the Federal Tax Ombudsman Ordinance 2000, the Ombudsman has no jurisdiction in matters that are already under litigation in courts or tribunals, or in cases relating to the determination of income or wealth tax, tax and duty liabilities, classification, or valuation of goods, where laws already provide avenues for appeal, review, or revision.
The committee also discussed the non-implementation of the Presidential Order dated July 16, 2025. Members were informed that the issue primarily concerns the classification of goods and the jurisdiction of the FTO. The committee opined that the purpose of the Ombudsman’s office and the Presidential Order is to provide a final forum of appeal, and that challenging its decisions would undermine this objective. It was agreed that the Attorney General’s legal opinion would be placed before the committee to find a solution to the matter.
Additionally, the committee reviewed allegations raised by Senator Dr. Afnanullah Khan regarding harassment by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) against members of the Senate. The committee chairman advised the senator to wait for the decision of the pending appeal before the relevant forum. The committee emphasized the importance of maintaining neutrality in tax administration and stated that state institutions should not be perceived as tools of political victimization.
