ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) established the National Faceless Centre (NFC) on Friday, introducing an electronic system for tax audits and assessments that separates case selection, investigation and decision-making.
Under the new arrangement, a computerised system selects cases based on risk and automatically allocates them to officers across Pakistan. Officers cannot choose their cases, and taxpayers do not learn the assigned officer’s identity.
Three officers handle each case at different stages. One conducts the audit, another makes the assessment, and a third checks the work before issuing an order. This division prevents any single officer from controlling the entire process.
Taxpayers submit replies and attend hearings electronically through FBR’s IRIS system, which also handles notices. Separate field teams undertake physical verification or recovery where the law requires it.
Previously, taxpayers whose returns came under audit dealt with a designated officer at a particular office, often in person.
Read: Tax Year 2026 Filing: FBR Flags Higher Non-Filer Taxes
FBR said the reform aims to reduce complaints associated with face-to-face dealings and apply consistent standards across taxpayers. It expects data-driven decisions to improve fairness, transparency and processing speed.
The Board in Council approved the centre’s establishment at its Friday meeting. Its legal authority comes from the Finance Act, 2026.
A Chief Commissioner Inland Revenue will head the NFC, supported by dedicated audit, assessment, quality control and field operations wings. FBR has already established a Programme Management Unit to oversee implementation.
