LAHORE: The Inland Revenue Service officers, whose promotion cases were not approved by the Prime Minister’s Secretariat despite recommendations of the Central Selection Board (CSB), have ‘decided’ to initiate a legal battle against what they claim ‘sheer discrimination’.

On the other hand, the Federal Board of Revenue chairman has reportedly refused to comply with the directives of PM’s Secretariat to transfer from field posts those officers whose cases have been sent for reconsideration on the grounds that they have not been superseded.

Among the ‘affected’ officers are five sitting chief commissioners (BS-20), who are discharging duties against BS-21 posts in field formations.

The federal government through an order issued on Feb 25, 2017 had promoted 13 IRS officers from BS-20 to BS-21 and 53 others from BS-19 to BS-20, but referred back the cases of eight officers for reconsideration from BS-20 to BS-21 and of 17 from BS-19 to BS-20. As many as 12 officers have been superseded on the recommendation of CSB.

Interestingly, out of 16 female officers recommended, only one case was referred back for reconsideration. Of 75 male officials, 24 were sent for reconsideration.

Chief Commissioner Regional Tax Office Karachi Dr Tariq Masood, CC RTO Sialkot Syed Imran Kazmi, CC RTO Gujranwala Habibullah Khan, CC RTO Abbotabad Mehmood Aslam, and CC RTO Sargodha Shahzada Tahir Zaman are all continuing with their posts on own pay scale.

PM office wants board to reconsider cases of IRS officials

After getting dejected, senior officer Sajidullah Siddiqi, who is posted as chief at the FBR Headquarters, has reportedly tendered his resignation which has not yet been accepted by the authorities concerned.

Sources in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) tells Dawn that the recent promotions of a few ‘ill-reputed’ officers from BS-19 to BS-20 and BS-20 to BS-21 and rejection of ‘dedicated’ officials have sent a wave of disappointment among the IRS cadre.

They say on the one hand FBR is facing annual revenue shortfall and pressing the field formations to improve collection through better enforcement, but on the other ‘deserving’ officers have been denied promotions.

Sources say the ‘affected’ officers are planning to challenge their rejection by the prime minister’s office in a court of law. The officials will contest lowdown reports of intelligence agencies on the basis of which their cases were sent for reconsideration. They claim that the reports are based on hearsay.

If a filter is necessary it should come at the level of CSB and not the PM office, sources say and add it calls into question the credibility of selection board.

Sources claim the FBR chairman received directives from PM’s Secretariat on Wednesday to transfer all field officers whose cases have been sent back for reconsideration, but the chairman ‘refused’ to do so on the grounds that the officers should continue with additional/acting charge till the outcome of their cases in the next CSB meeting.

“What is the propriety of relying on the reports of intelligence agencies which are based on hearsay”? says an ‘affected’ officer seeking anonymity.

“If an officer is known to be corrupt why action or proceedings are not afoot against him/her under efficiency or discipline rules or with NAB or anti-corruption establishment.

Should the PM’s office overrule the collective wisdom of a board constituted by the premier himself and comprising senior most officers from civil service as well as parliamentarians?” the officer says.

Another ‘affected’ officer says cases of some ‘competent’ officers were sent back for reconsideration and if CSB meeting delays due to any reason and the board repeats its recommendations, who will be blamed for the delay?

Talking to this reporter, a spokesman for the Pakistan Inland Revenue Service Association (PIRSA) says there is a feeling of disgruntlement among IRS officers over the denial of promotion.

“If an officer is not promoted what is the benefit of keeping him even in service. Such actions will directly lead to higher incidence of corruption,” he says, adding that the association will fully assist the ‘affected’ officers in litigation.

The spokesman has expressed the hope that the prime minister will direct an early convening of the selection board to reconsider the promotion cases.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2017