Rashid Mahmood Langrial to become new chairman of FBR, sources say

• Rashid’s name suggested to PM: sources.
• He says the new FBR chief will be appointed after cabinet approval.
• Former president Amjad Zubair Tiwana resigned on July 31.

The federal government seems to have decided on the appointment to helm the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), sources said Geo News on Wednesday, adding that Rashid Mahmood Langrial of the Pakistan Administrative Services (PAS) has been nominated for the top post.

The name of the grade 21 government official has been suggested to the Prime Minister, the sources added.

The process of Langreal’s appointment will be finalized once the federal cabinet gives the go-ahead for his appointment. The summary regarding his appointment has been sent to the federal cabinet, the sources said.

Langrial, a graduate of Government College Lahore and Harvard Kennedy School where he did his Masters in Public Administration (International Development) (MPA-ID), has authored a book: “Story of the Fair Sex: Socioeconomic Conditions of Women Through Time”.

The sources had revealed that senior officials of the tax collection agency did not cooperate with Tiwana, who is considered a close associate of Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

The former FBR boss, who was appointed during the caretaker government, had to face criticism on the issue of digitization and bifurcation between the IRS and Customs teams, the sources said.

Sources close to the FBR chairman say the tax body clocked a revenue of 9.311 billion rupees during the last financial year, achieving a 30% growth in revenue despite the tough economic environment.

Having joined the Pakistan Civil Service in 1995, the officer served in various government posts in various sectors. Served as Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan (Mar 2022 – Apr 2022), Commissioner Lahore Division (Oct 2013 – Jan 2015) under Government of Punjab, Secretary Agriculture Punjab (Jan 2015 – Sep 2015), Managing Director Power Park National Management Company (NPPMCL ) (Pvt) (2015 – 2018) under the Federal Government, Chairman Lahore Regional Road Authority (July 2011 – October 2013) under the Government of Punjab as well as Minister of Tourism Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2019 – 2020).

The development came after former FBR chairman Amjad Zubair Tiwana on July 31 resigned from his office, asking the Prime Minister’s Secretariat to remove him from the post of FBR chief.

The sources had said Geo News that the former head of the board consulted some members of the cabinet before resigning and his friends suggested that he resign.

The sources said Tiwana met Federal Finance Minister and Prime Minister’s Close Assistant on Establishment Division Ahad Cheema and verbally informed him that he could not continue to head the FBR, according to The news.

Langrial currently serves as Secretary of the Department of Energy. He was elevated by the Directorate of Establishment to the post in March this year from the post of Additional Secretary, Directorate of Industries and Production.