PM warns FBR officers over reforms; faceless centre audits up to 400,000 people

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told tax officers that resistance to the Federal Board of Revenue's reforms will not be tolerated and that officers unwilling to work will be asked to leave, Dawn reported on Tuesday, citing a source at his weekly briefing on tax reforms. The warning follows a pen-down strike call by the Inland Revenue Officers Association, which was withdrawn after senior FBR officials stepped in.

The PM said officers' salaries had been raised fourfold and that they had been given vehicles and accommodation, so they must now deliver.

Officers suspended

The FBR has suspended two Inland Revenue Service officers, one in BS-20 and one in BS-19, and recalled two other BS-20 officers to headquarters for further investigation over an unauthorised press statement and the call to stop work, Dawn reported.

The faceless audit centre

FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial briefed the PM on the National Faceless Centre (NFC) in Islamabad, a pilot for faceless assessment and audit that took effect on 1 October 2026.

• It started with 27 officers.
• It is auditing and assessing third-party data on 300,000 to 400,000 individuals.
• Cases are referred in phases after initial compliance checks.
• The aim is to cut officers' discretion and face-to-face contact between officials and taxpayers.

"Third-party data" means information the FBR gets from others rather than from your return: bank accounts and profit, property registrations, vehicle purchases, utility bills, foreign travel and school fees. If what those records show does not match your return, your file can be picked for audit.

The PM directed the FBR to speed up the reforms and the faceless rollout, act against corrupt officials, and give officers who improve a chance to reform.

What taxpayers should do

• Make sure your return matches your records. Declare bank profit, property and vehicles you own; these are the easiest mismatches to catch.
• Answer notices online. A faceless system works through IRIS and email; keep your contact details current.
• Check what you owe with our income tax calculator, or the freelancer tax calculator if you earn from abroad.
• Not a filer yet? Non-filers pay higher withholding tax on cash withdrawals, property and cars; see what that costs with the cash withdrawal tax calculator.

Tax consultants are listed in our directory.