ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has sought a comprehensive report from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman regarding the posting of officials/officers with embarrassing and compromised reputations for integrity and general conduct etc on leading slots in the board.
Taken notice of governance issues in the Federal Board of Revenue, PM Office has issued a letter dated November 14, asking the FBR chairman to submit a report within a fortnight. The PM Office has sought details of officials/officers of BS-16 and above against whom formal disciplinary proceedings were initiated by the FBR from June 2013 onwards on the charges of corruption, issuance of bogus refunds, criminal connivance with tax evaders, misuse of authority and negligence causing revenue loss etc.
“FBR chairman shall take further action accordingly and submit a report for perusal of the prime minister by November 28,” the letter said. Available copy of a letter titled “Issues of good governance in the Federal Board of Revenue” written by PM’s Secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad said that several officers of the FBR were proceeded against under the Government Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules 1973 on serious charges of corruption and misconduct.
They were either reinstated after dismissal from service or were given only minor penalties despite the fact that charges against them had been proved beyond reasonable doubt in enquiries, and that to make it worse, these officers have now been assigned lucrative field positions. These officers included Abdul Hamid Anjum, BS-19; Sajid Hussain Arain, BS-18; Abdul Hamid Abro, BS-18; Jawahar Ali Shah, BS-18 and Anser Majeed, Inland Revenue Audit Officer.
It has also been brought to the knowledge of the prime minister that no action is being taken against a number of officers, in worse case formal inquiries, on equally serious charges, have been completed since long: (1) Basharat Ahmed Qureshi, BS-20; (2) Sharif Awan, BS-20 and (3) Shahar Bano Walajahi, BS-20.
The prime minister has been further informed that certain FBR officers with compromised reputations for integrity and general conduct are leading some of the most important establishments of the FBR. Therefore, the prime minister has desired that a comprehensive report be submitted within a fortnight by the chairman.