The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has stepped in regarding the recent rollout of the new "IRIS" version for tax return filing by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). In a recent order, the FTO expressed genuine concern about the lack of thorough testing and pilot launch before introducing the new system, which has understandably caused some headaches for users.
FTO initiated its own investigation into the errors and omissions in the updated IRIS 2.0, which the FBR proudly launched on July 27, 2023, with promises of improved efficiency and cost savings. However, things didn't go as smoothly as expected, with numerous complaints pouring in from stakeholders highlighting various glitches and oversights in the new version.
It's quite evident that these changes were rushed into action without the usual testing and quality checks. What's more, there were no user guides to help folks navigate the new features. FTO has kindly recommended that the FBR's Member (Information & Technology) take prompt corrective measures and provide clear explanations for users within 15 days.
In a nutshell, FTO is essentially saying, "Hey, let's not rush these things in the future!" The hasty launch of IRIS led to errors and inconveniences for users, so it's time for a more human-friendly approach that ensures smoother sailing in the world of tax returns.
