Finance Ministry Hiring 6 Experts to Operationalize New Tax Policy Office on IMF Demand

The Ministry of Finance is recruiting six professionals to set up the Tax Policy Office (TPO) for the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The department will report directly to the finance minister and remain separate from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to prevent policy capture by revenue officers. The ministry has invited applications for a Director General (SPPS-1) and five directors specializing in economic analysis, business taxation, personal taxation, international taxation, and direct/indirect taxation (SPPS-II). The hiring follows the revised Special Professional Pay Scale (SPPS) structure approved last April, offering salaries of up to Rs. 2 million per month for SPPS-1 and Rs. 1.5 million for SPPS-II. Despite repeated commitments to international lenders, successive governments failed to separate tax policy from administration due to resistance from the FBR. However, in a move to fulfill IMF conditions, the government recently notified the creation of the TPO under Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The office will conduct tax policy analysis, revenue forecasting, and international tax treaty assessments. Once operational, the TPO is expected to improve tax policy formulation, align fiscal priorities with economic realities, and enhance engagement with stakeholders, including government bodies, international organizations, and the private sector.