LAHORE - The Federal Board of Revenue has planned to dismiss over 400 corrupt officials from Grade 1-16 from service and FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa has directed all commissioners and collectors to point out officials who are involved in malpractices.
According to official sources, the plan has been kept secret, however directions in this regard have been conveyed to the commissioners as well as collectors in respected RTOs. Each collector and commissioner is assigned to pinpoint four corrupt workers on average from his/her area who will be sacked after taking disciplinary action against them. Federal Revenue Alliance Union’s Abdul Qayyum, when contacted, welcomed the plan of FBR but worried that the move might be misused by the high officials who themselves are corrupt. Demanding action across the board, he threatened countrywide protest if honest unionists were targeted. He said that management main object is to sack the workers union, as it has already suspended 20 workers while more unionists have been planned to be fired on different allegations. “The real aim of the management is to punish the unionists and abandon the union. The FBR will finally include our 20 suspended workers in the category of corrupt officials, though their crime was to raise voice against the atrocities of the chief commissioner in a democratic and legal way. Why the chairman has put limitation of grade 1 to 16? High officials cannot make corruption. Operation against corruption should be immediately started across the FBR, without any discrimination of lower or high ranks. The finance minister should take action against FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa if he is involved in malpractice, he suggested.” He claimed that the FBR Union is the first which had pointed out high officials who were involved in facilitating billions of rupees tax evasion. But those high officials were further promoted, instead of taking any action against those officials. Under the new directives, more unionists will be suspended on plea of corruption, he warned.
It is to be noted that tension between workers and the management of the FBR is high and Lahore RTO is presenting scene of border area after deployment of huge number of police officials to stop the workers from protest against suspension of Union central president. Sources said that Federal Revenue Alliance Employees Union has also approached the Islamabad High Court filing a petition against the dismissal of Mian Abdul Qayyum, working as inspector in Inland Revenue. The union contended that he was dismissed without any intimation by the management following stay order vacated by the court. The union, in its application, has also appealed the court to take action against Punjab IGP, who has increased police deployment at the Regional Tax Office (RTO) to stop workers from observing strike legally.
It is to be noted that a circular was issued by the additional commissioner, warning the employees of strict disciplinary action against observing strike.