Islamabad – The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has officially transferred several senior officers of Pakistan Customs Service (PCS) to the newly established Strategic Tariff and Revenue Analysis Wing (STRAW) as part of its restructuring efforts.
The move is aimed at enhancing revenue analysis and improving taxation strategies in Pakistan.
According to a notification issued by the FBR, the following customs officers have been reassigned to STRAW:
1. Mukarram Jah Ansari (Pakistan Customs Service/BS-22) has been transferred and posted as Director General-I, STRAW, FBR HQ, Islamabad, from Member (Admin Pool).
2. Muhammad Aamer (Pakistan Customs Service/BS-21) has been appointed as Director General (Special Initiatives – Customs), FBR HQ, Islamabad (stationed at Lahore), previously serving in the Admin Pool.
3. Dr. Fareed Iqbal Qureshi (Pakistan Customs Service/BS-21) has been posted as Director General-II, STRAW, FBR HQ, Islamabad (stationed at Karachi), from Member (Admin Pool).
4. Ahmad Rauf (Pakistan Customs Service/BS-21) has been transferred as Director General-III, STRAW, FBR HQ, Islamabad (stationed at Lahore), from Member (Admin Pool).
5. Ms. Saima Shehzad (Pakistan Customs Service/BS-21) has been posted as Director General-IV, STRAW, FBR HQ, Islamabad (stationed at Lahore), from Member FBR HQ.
6. Muhammad Saleem (Pakistan Customs Service/BS-21) has been appointed as Director General-V, STRAW, FBR HQ, Islamabad, from the Admin Pool.
Establishment and Objectives of STRAW
The FBR recently announced the formation of STRAW, marking a pivotal step in improving revenue assessment and taxation policies. The decision to establish STRAW was approved during an FBR meeting held on March 7, 2025. This specialized division is designed to function separately for Inland Revenue and Pakistan Customs, focusing on revenue collection analysis, industry-specific taxation issues, and jurisdictional performance.
Key Functions of STRAW
Operating under the direct supervision of Member-Policy (Inland Revenue/Customs), STRAW will focus on the following critical areas:
1. Revenue Analysis: Evaluating taxation trends and revenue efficiency within various industries.
2. Tax Compliance Monitoring: Conducting structured assessments of taxpayer compliance and identifying potential risk areas.
3. Sector-Specific Studies: Assessing taxation policies for various industries to enable data-driven policymaking.
4. Legislative Recommendations: Proposing legal amendments based on in-depth financial evaluations to optimize revenue collection.
5. Operational Assessments: Conducting evaluations of budget proposals, jurisdictional performance, and operational effectiveness.
6. Confidentiality Assurance: Ensuring that all officers assigned to STRAW maintain strict confidentiality in handling taxation data and analysis reports.
The FBR anticipates that the introduction of STRAW will significantly improve fiscal policy formulation, making Pakistan’s tax system more effective and transparent.