ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed Rashid Mahmood Langrial, a BS-21 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Services, as the new chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). This move aims to quell speculations and address the need for end-to-end digitization of the tax process.
The FBR chief position became vacant last month after Zubair Tiwana sought early retirement. Rashid Mahmood, who previously served as federal secretary of the power division, now faces the challenge of implementing comprehensive tax reforms.
Rashid Mahmood, a Harvard University Kennedy School graduate in international development, has extensive experience in both federal and provincial governments. His past roles include chief secretary of Gilgit-Baltistan, additional secretary at the industries and production division, additional secretary at the ministry of food security, and secretary of the KP tourism department.
He is the first PAS officer to lead the FBR since Muhammad Jehanzeb Khan’s tenure in 2018. Previous FBR chiefs included Shabbar Zaidi, a chartered accountant who served for six months under the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government. Since January 1, 2020, the FBR has been led by officers from the Inland Revenue Service or the Customs Group.
Since assuming office in March, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been critical of FBR officials for the lack of progress in expanding the tax base and digitizing the tax system. Despite hiring international firms and receiving grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, significant challenges remain. Last week, the prime minister established a task force, chaired by State Minister for Finance and Revenue Ali Pervez Malik, to report on the digitization process. The trace and track system has yet to effectively address corruption and tax leakages.
Rashid Mahmood’s appointment reflects the prime minister’s preference for a bureaucrat with international experience and strong administrative skills to drive reforms. During his tenure at the KP tourism department in 2019 and 2020, Rashid drafted the KP Tourism Act, introducing a new organizational structure and the Integrated Tourism Zones concept to promote tourism.
Joining the civil service in 1995, Rashid Mahmood has held various positions in Punjab, including commissioner of Lahore division, secretary of the agriculture department, and chairperson of the Lahore Ring Road Authority.
Story by Mubarak Zeb Khan
