LAHORE: Federal Revenue Alliance Employees Union’s strike against the management has entered third day while the alliance leadership sticks to its demand. Meanwhile taxpayers visiting the tax office are confronting inconvenience.
“We will not give up until our demands are accepted. Our president Mian Abdul Qayoom has called for AGMs of all the 14 regions to decide further course of action,” FBR Union Alliance Deputy General Secretary Amir Nazir said.
On the other hand, sources said that SSP operation Rana Abdul Jabar and DCO Ahmad Javaid Qazi have met RTOs Chief Commissioners including Shafaqat Mehmood, Chaudry Safdar and Mustfa Ashraf to resolve the dispute.
Third day of the strike gave a deserted look at the Regional Tax Office besides officers were unable to work due to the strike of officials of grade 1-16. Public visiting the RTO is also facing difficulties due to the strike.
Earlier, the Alliance launched protest movement for an indefinite period until their charter of demands is accepted. “On February 18 regional alliance Presidents presented 8 point charter of demand that included promotions of the employees, clerical staff, LDC UDC’s up-gradation, class four out of turns, promotion of inspectors who have been working for the last 30 years, demand of foolproof security of 2200 staffers and withdrawal of CPLA,” Union’s Central President Mian Abdul Qayyum said.
He said that the alliance does not want any confrontation with the management, urging the Prime Minister, Finance Minister and FBR Chairman to intervene to address genuine grievances of the staff. “There is no illegal demand, if there is any it must be pointed out. Our genuine demands must be accepted or we will be going to take the roads,” Abdul Qayyum said. He warned that if the charter of demand is not implemented in letter and spirit, we will be forced to convert the strike into hunger strike throughout the country.
Talking to Customs Today, Union’s President regretted the fact that the employees are not being promoted for the last 30 years which is a great injustice. FBR is going to hire another 12, 000 employees while the existing are not promoted, he added.
He accused Chief Commissioner Shafaqat Mehmood of torturing their female office bearer Madam Rashida and implicating her and other office bearers in false litigations. He said that if the demands are not fulfilled, the alliance will give strike call to all the employees serving in FBR countrywide.
General Secretary Shahzad Butt and Deputy General Secretary Amir Nazir said that FIRs and charge sheets of the office bearers of the alliance leadership cannot demotivate them in any way.
