FBR Suspends Two Officers Amid Dispute Over Reforms

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has suspended two Inland Revenue Service (IRS) officers and sent two others back to its headquarters for further investigation following an unauthorised press statement and a call to halt official duties.

According to an FBR statement, the suspended officials include one officer in Basic Pay Scale (BS) 20 and another in BS-19. The two officers repatriated to FBR Headquarters are both serving in BS-20.

The tax authority stated that the officers' conduct prima facie breached Rules 23 and 26 of the Civil Servants (Conduct) Rules, 2026, formulated under the Civil Servants Act, 1973.

The alleged breaches were also classified as misconduct under Rule 34, the FBR added.

The department said disciplinary action would be initiated under the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020, emphasising that such conduct would not be tolerated.

Sources further reported that the prime minister expressed displeasure over a pen-down strike announced by the Inland Revenue Association in response to the ongoing FBR reforms. The remarks came during a meeting convened to review the reform process.

The association later called off the proposed strike after holding a meeting with the FBR's Member Administration and Member Operations.