The National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance strongly criticized the government and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Friday for bypassing Parliament by enforcing the Tax Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. The committee expressed frustration over the ordinance being urgently circulated to FBR field offices for immediate recovery from taxpayers without prior parliamentary debate. During the committee meeting, chaired by MNA Syed Naveed Qamar, members discussed the implications of Ordinance No. IV/2025, raising concerns from trade bodies and stakeholders. Qamar labeled the ordinance as a misuse of executive power, emphasizing that it denied taxpayers the fundamental right of appeal before enforcement actions. He directed the Law and Justice Division to promptly present the ordinance in Parliament for debate and proper legislative process. The FBR Chairman, Rashid Mahmood Langrial, defended the ordinance, stating it was lawfully approved by the federal cabinet and the president. He urged the committee to allow a one to two-month trial period for the ordinance, stressing that it addresses crucial legal gaps in tax enforcement. However, committee members remained unconvinced. They questioned the urgency behind bypassing the usual process of including such tax amendments in the upcoming Finance Bill 2025-26. When pressed, a representative from the Law Division admitted to the urgency but failed to justify it clearly. The…