Under Dr. Asif Mahmood Jah’s direction, the Office of the Federal Tax Ombudsman has accomplished a great deal in protecting taxpayer rights and resolving tax disputes.

Speaking at a news conference, Legal Advisor Almas Ali Jovindah mentioned that the FTO has been quite efficient, receiving 10,515 complaints and resolving 9,900 of them in the past ten months.

According to him, Dr. Jah addressed systemic flaws within tax administration by initiating 31 own-motion investigations. For the purpose of informing taxpayers of their rights, the FTO held 117 outreach workshops in the year 2024. Accessibility has also been enhanced by the incorporation of paperless and remote hearings.

He brought up the fact that a recent FBR recommendation had pushed for simpler sales tax filing and remedied unjust tax practices.

Today at the Supreme Court, the Administrative Judges of Anti-Terrorism Courts met under the direction of Justice Yahya Afridi, the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

The meeting discussed important issues and evaluated the ATCs’ performance in order to guarantee the prompt and effective administration of justice in anti-terrorism cases.

Participants included the Prosecutors General from each province and the Islamabad Capital Territory, as well as Monitoring Judges from the Supreme Court and the ATC Courts.

Additionally present at the meeting were the Secretary of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan and the Registrar of the Supreme Court.

Throughout the conference, the Chief Justice gave clear instructions. In order to help Balochistan operationalize FSL Labs in Quetta, he directed the Forensic Science Laboratory in Sindh to provide support.

The Chief Justice ordered that ATC judges who have served out their tenure be placed in appropriate roles.

Additionally, he declared that the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan would promote the possibility for exceptional ATC judges to receive training abroad.

In order to raise these matters to the attention of their respective governments, the Chief Justice urged the Attorney General for Pakistan and the Prosecutors General of each Province.

He underlined the necessity of prompt and concerted action to meet the ATCs’ resource and infrastructural requirements, which are critical to guaranteeing prompt and equitable resolutions in anti-terrorism matters.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently met with the Iranian Foreign Minister and reiterated Pakistan’s support for Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while also denouncing Israel’s October 26 attack on Iran.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the Foreign Office spokesperson, called on the international community to stop Israel’s unchecked atrocities against Palestinians during her weekly briefing in Islamabad. She said that Israel has been committing genocide against the Palestinian people through acts of territorial expansion and ethnic cleansing.

Israeli occupation soldiers, she alleged, are now attacking hospitals in Lebanon after demolishing medical facilities in Gaza.

Pakistan, according to the FO spokesperson, demands a quick end to the fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and unimpeded access to healthcare and humanitarian relief for those in acute need.

Pakistan also demands the creation of an independent state of Palestine, with the capital at Al-Quds Al-Sharif, she stated.

She expressed alarm over reports of Kashmiri leader Muhammad Yasin Malik’s declining health and urged India to free him right away from illegitimate detention in India on false accusations.