Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif removes 25 senior tax officers for corruption: Report

PTI

Islamabad, April 27

In a major crackdown to rid Pakistan’s top tax collection body of corrupt and inefficient officials, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif removed 25 senior officers from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

Sharif took action against the senior officers based on inputs from three intelligence agencies about their lack of financial integrity and competence, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.

On the advice from the Prime Minister’s Office, the FBR on Friday issued the notifications for the removal of 13 officers with immediate effect. Another 12 officers who were either already having no positions or were working on deputation in other ministries were recalled.

Among those who have been ousted included the top-tier members of the board, chief commissioners and a former FBR chairman, who was already without a position for the past two years. Their replacements will be from among those who have been declared competent and righteous by the three intelligence agencies, according to government officials.

In place of those purged out of FBR, the government has made transfers and postings of 25 FBR officers. They include those who are below par but are serving at key positions of the ‘A' category postings.

It was the first such drastic step being taken by a democratically elected chief executive of the country to weed out the officers having either tainted reputations or were lacking in competency as well as public dealing.

The move marks the cash-strapped government's commitment to put the FBR's house in order.

It was also the second time in less than a week that the premier decisively took action to give a clear message about his commitment to make the FBR a reformed organisation.

Earlier, the premier suspended a senior FBR officer for his negligence in following a court case. The suspended officer is also among the 25 FBR employees, who have been found lacking on multiple professional counts.

Corruption is a huge issue in Pakistan and FBR is considered as one of the most corrupt government departments. 

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