LAHORE: The Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) has formally approached FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa, requesting inquiry into the termination of senior officers of Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL) which have been affecting the operations of the PRA and Punjab Excise & Taxation adversely.
In a letter to FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa, PRA Chairperson Iftikhar Qutab regretted that the services of PRAL (Lahore) Senior Manager (Operations) Malik Waqar Safdar had been suddenly terminated.
It is to be recalled that earlier the PRA through a letter had requested the PRAL Chief Executive Officer not to (one-sidedly) disturb the manpower arrangements already in place or being put in place under the PRAL’s contract with PRA (and Punjab Excise & Taxation Department) without taking PRA/Punjab government into prior confidence so that continuity in the performance of PRAL’s contractual obligations with PRA/Punjab government may not unnecessarily suffer.
Iftikhar Qutab said that under clause (4.1) of the Contract signed between PRA and PRAL, the PRAL was under obligation to employ and provide such qualified and experienced personnel as are required to carry out the contractual services to PRA/Punjab government. He has been working with PRA right from the first day of the implementation of contract between PRAL and PRA; he started work for PRA even prior to the signing of the agreement towards software development accommodating the instant and future needs of PRA’s tax management regimes. He also worked on the development of Restaurant Invoice Monitoring System (RIMS) which is likely to be launched by the Punjab government in near future.
Iftikhar Qutab said that since PRAL was giving up-to-the-mark services to PRA, Punjab Excise & Taxation Department also started dialogue and preparatory work on the automation of Punjab’s excise and taxation system. Similar move was also initiated in the Punjab Board of Revenue and certain law enforcement agencies for use of ultra advance information technology for property record automation, tax management computerisation and electronic surveillance against certain types of delinquencies arising out of property rights’ violations. Even PRAL has signed agreement with the Punjab Excise & Taxation. In all these pre-agreement efforts, contract signing proceedings and contract implementation regimes. Safdar has remained closely associated with and has put in extraordinary efforts in co-ordination with the respective authorities of the Punjab government. Here it may be pointed out that in view of his continued dedicated work with PRA, the other concerned authorities of the Punjab government have developed a tremendous degree of trust and confidence on his professional abilities, the PRA chief said.
The letter read that the PRA is of the firm view that termination of services of Safdar at this critical juncture of the evolutionary development of automation of Punjab’s taxation and enforcement work is not befitting and therefore, deserves to be reviewed at impartial hands. It is rather more appropriate if the FBR chairman provides Mr Safdar with an opportunity of personal hearing and then decides the future of the PRAL’s officer. The PRA hoped that tax authorities will take favourable final decision in the matter expeditiously so that existing uncertain state affairs (perhaps resulting from some “personal whims” from some quarters) may be ended at the earliest.
Iftikhar Qutab stressed that the PRA (understandably other concerned departments as well) needs continuity of his services from PRAL’s side. He expressed that the PRA was optimistic about the FBR chairman’s gracious kindnesses towards helping the PRA to succeed in its mission to productively establish services-related VAT-type sales taxation in Punjab on sustainable and progressive lines.
