Tax officials of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) have flouted rules for availing foreign training programs including scholarships/fellowships through direct nominations from various foreign missions.
Sources told Business Recorder on Saturday that FBR Human Resource Management (HRM) Wing has failed to regulate the procedure of nomination of tax officials to get training abroad.
Details showed that training functions, both internal and external, had been centralised with the HRM Wing. Through an 'office order' of December 25, 2005, "it was decided that all internal, external and mandatory trainings would be processed by HRM Wing, Islamabad, with the approval of FBR Chairman".
Through another FBR order of 2005, "the functional reporting of directorates-general/directorates of training (customs and income tax) would directly work under the HRM Wing".
Despite issuance of this directive, FBR officials have persistently bypassing office orders and chairman's instructions. Instead of following these orders, tax officials are obtaining approval of foreign trainings directly through their respective Members, creating serious embarrassing situation for the concerned department.
The violation has been visible in FBR Direct Taxes Wing where same officials have repeatedly gone on foreign trainings conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) during the last one year.
It has been observed that the officials had obtained approval of foreign trainings directly from their respective Members, instead of HRM Wing, violating FBR Chairman's orders.
Sources said that the department should give equal opportunity to all tax officials instead of sending favourite officials time and again. There were other cases where HRM Wing was not involved and direct nominations were obtained for external training programs. Recently, a tax official went to USA without obtaining any approval of HRM Wing.
Sources said that the government had notified strict disciplinary action against those government employees who obtain nominations directly from foreign missions in their own names. According to sources, tax officials are also violating government rules.
The serial number 75 of the Establishment Division rules talks about the invitations of the foreign missions and aid agencies on foreign trainings. As per rule, it was brought to the Cabinet's notice that certain officers had approached foreign governments and their representatives in Pakistan for scholarships, fellowships without obtaining prior approval of their department.
It appeared that the instructions had been ignored by the officials, who directly sought invitations to visit foreign countries. The instructions issued should be brought to the notice of all officers again.
The officials should be warned that if anyone is asked for by name through foreign mission, he would not be allowed to go in any case. If necessary, enquiries will be made as to how he came to be nominated by foreign mission, and disciplinary action would be taken in suitable cases, Establishment Division's rule added.
Sources said that tax officials were clearly violating the Establishment Division rules, which might result in strict disciplinary action against the concerned officials.
In view of FBR orders, the cases of the foreign training should be strictly handled by HRM Wing and any direct approach to FBR Members should be forwarded to HRM Wing for processing of cases. This would avoid embarrassing situation in the FBR where nominations have been approved in clear violation of government rules, sources added.
When this scribe contacted FBR Member HRM Wing Muhammad Talha for comments, he responded strangely saying that there was no violation of any government rules in FBR as far as foreign trainings were concerned, and that FBR was strictly following Chairman's orders and government rules in this regard.
Comments
Comments are closed.