LAHORE - The Finance Division has been denying promotions to the income tax inspectors who have not been upgraded since 1983 and Finance Division is the main hurdle.

FBR Federal Revenue Alliance Union stated that the Inland Revenue Services department made the last promotions in 1982-83 and after this no up-gradation was made in and below the rank of income tax inspectors and Finance Division has now become the main hurdle in this regard, as the department has been sitting on the promotion files for the last two years.  FBR Federal Revenue Alliance Union central president Mian Abdul Qayyum said that only the class four staff and income tax inspectors have not been given promotions, who are working still in 14th scale while in every other federal department inspectors are given 16th grade while class four employees were not upgraded either.
He said the government is spending millions on high officials while the lower staff is constantly being ignored which is the key to collect revenue. He made it clear that due to promotion the government would not have to bear the budgetary burden, as only Rs300 to Rs500 will be added in their salaries after the promotion.
“The FBR inspectors are being forced to launch a series of protests to press the government for their due promotions. It seems the Finance Division is also waiting for the protest in this regard, forcing the inspectors as well as the class four staff to come to the streets against the government of the PPP for redressal of their demands.”
The president and office-bearers of the Union observed that class four staff and all income tax inspectors would come to streets to press the Finance Division to fulfill their demand of up-gradation and if the demand was not considered seriously they would go on strike for unlimited period.
Mian Qayyum said that Board has been denying promotions to its Income Tax inspectors, flouting the clear verdicts of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Federal Services Tribunal in favour of their upgradation, and Finance Division in the main obstacle in their way.
Federal Service Tribunal, to the appeal of the affected inspectors, also passed the ruling against the then Central Board of Revenue, directing the department to give the inspectors their due promotions with immediate effect, he said. He said that the inspectors had pleaded before the court as well as the FST that the FBR was constantly refusing their promotions, as the department made the last promotions in 1982-83.
He said that the Income Tax Inspectors had been deprived of their due right of promotion, as they joined the department as an inspector and also retire as an inspector.
The government has totally failed to achieve its revenue target because its main staff, which can collect the revenue with efficient way, his morale has come down, due to persistent denial for up-gradation.