ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue has going to evolve an integrity management policy for tax officials through a foolproof mechanism to check corruption in the tax machinery.
In this regard the FBR Board-in-Council meeting to be chaired by FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa will discuss the issue of integrity management here on Friday (today).
According to details, the Board-in-Council is scheduled to take up revised powers and functions of the Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation Inland Revenue (IR). The agency has also sought new enforcement powers under Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 and Sales Tax Act, 1990 which require approval of the Board-in-Council. The FBR had tried to launch crackdown on corrupt tax officials in the field formations to give them exemplary punishments to those colluding with tax evaders to cause irreparable loss to the exchequer. The board had initiated the exercise in November 2013 to take extreme action against the corrupt officers who are creating bad impression of the tax department among public.
The job was assigned to the FBR investigators having expertise and intelligence network at field level. Priority would be given to those cases where collusion has taken place between the taxpayer and tax officers to cause revenue loss. The perception of the tax managers could only be changed by taking necessary action against officers violating law. The work has already started and intelligence network has been actively utilised to pinpoint officials in field formations facilitating tax evaders and dodgers.
In the absence of an integrity management policy, the FBR is unable to implement a uniform system for taking action against corrupt tax officials. The exercise will not distinguish between low Grade 14 to 16 officials or gazetted high grade employees of BPS 17 and above. Action sans discrimination will be taken against all such officials.
