KARACHI: The correspondence between a committee of the data controlling assistants (DCAs) and the authorities concerned of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) could not be proved fruitful in terms of their promotion case.
The DCAs were of the view that they had been awaiting for their promotions for the last several years, despite the fact that the court had given clear directives of their promotions on the posts of DPAs.
According to details, almost 31 data controlling assistants (DCA) of the Office of Chief Coordinator Computerisation and Programming (Customs) now known as the Directorate General Reforms and Automation (Customs)-Karachi are deprived of their legal right of promotion from Grade-10 to Grade-16.
The dilemma was that those DCAs were appointed in the Computer Bureau Department in 1979 with the required academic qualification of intermediate in Grade-10. Meanwhile, the DCAs in other field formations of FBR were appointed in 1992/1994 in Grade-14 with required qualification of graduation.
Later, the FRB authorities concerned in February through a notification upgraded the post of data controlling assistants of Grade-10 to the post of data processing assistants (DPAs) of Grade-16. The said development of the FBR compelled the DCAs (Grade-10) of the Computer Bureau Department to stand for their legal rights of promotion.
During the entire process, most of the DCAs completed their graduation and became eligible for promotion from Grade-10 to Grade-16. Meanwhile, the FBR authorities were of the view that none of the officials of Pakistan Customs could be promoted directly from Grade-10 to Grade-16.
Reacting upon the FBR viewpoint, the DCAs of the Computer Bureau Department reached the FTO and presented their case over there. The FTO after thorough study of the case directed the authorities concerned of the FBR to implement the promotions of DCAs from Grade-10 to Grade-16. The case is still in the FBR’s Revenue Division.
Commenting on the situation, experts told Customs Today that the promotion of DCAs from Grade-10 to Grade-16 could not be done directly. However; it could be done in two phases in which the DCAs would be promoted from Grade-10 to Grade-14 and then in the second phase they would be promoted from Grade-14 to Grade-16, as per the rules.
