PM Shehbaz Directs FBR to Comply With Civil Servant Rules Against Corrupt Officials

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to strictly comply with the instructions of Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020 for taking disciplinary proceedings and inquiries against corrupt tax officials. In this regard, the FBR has issued instructions to all field formations here on Wednesday. The FBR Chairman has instructed that as per the directions of the prime minister, the Revenue Division/ FBR shall strictly comply with the following instructions in all disciplinary proceedings and inquiries initiated against the officials: The appointed inquiry officer shall conduct the inquiry proceedings in accordance with the provisions contained in Rule 10 read with Rule 12 of the Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020. The same shall be completed within sixty (60) days from the date of issuance of the Inquiry Order or within such extended period which the Authority may allow. For ensuring safe custody of record in an inquiry, all Heads of field offices (Directors General/ Chief Commissioners/ Chief Collectors/ Commissioners/ Collectors, etc.) of FBR shall retain the relevant case record in safe custody while forwarding the recommendation to initiate disciplinary proceedings against any officer(s)/official(s). All heads of field offices will also ensure that relevant records of the case and other related documents are timely provided to the inquiry officer or the inquiry committee, as the case may be, through the designated departmental representative (DR) within seven days from the date of inquiry order or within such an extended period which authority may allow in accordance with the provisions contained in Rule 8 of the Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020. Any officer of IRS or PCS (as the case may be) who is given the record of the case under intimation to the board shall be designated as a departmental representative (DR) who shall perform functions mentioned in Rule 15 of the Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020. After receipt of the reply to the Show Cause Notice from the accused or in the case where no reply is received and affording an opportunity of personal hearing to the accused, the designated Authority notified vide board’s notification No. 2788-1R-II/2020 dated 05-01-2021 (copy enclosed) shall decide the case within a period of thirty days as per Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020. The directions contained in the board’s circular entitled “Incentive and Punitive Regime for the Inquiry Officers/Authorized Officers/Authority” dated 08-11-2021 may be complied with in letter and spirit The acknowledgment and implementation status regarding said instructions may be communicated to the board for the record, FBR added.