The Federal Board of Revenue has constituted a new Internal Affairs & Integrity Oversight (IAIO) Committee and directed the establishment of a public complaint portal for taxpayers, businesses and the general public. The new mechanism is intended to provide a formal digital channel for reporting alleged misconduct by FBR officials, including complaints regarding bogus or frivolous proceedings.
An important feature of the proposed system is confidentiality. A complainant will undergo basic identity verification, but their identity will remain protected from the official against whom the complaint is lodged. Each complaint will receive an anonymised reference number and will be classified according to whether it lacks sufficient basis, requires further investigation or warrants direct disciplinary action. Automated updates are also expected to keep complainants informed about progress.
The initiative is broader than an ordinary complaint portal. The IAIO Committee will maintain a centralised complaints register and an Integrity Risk Register covering sensitive areas such as customs clearance, GST refunds, audit selection and procurement. It will also review FTO compliance and appellate reversal patterns to identify recurring procedural failures. If implemented effectively, this could make taxpayer complaints an important source of institutional accountability rather than isolated grievances.