Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is keeping a strict watch on print media in relation to the coverage of events of different government departments that are under the administrative control of the Ministry of Finance, particularly Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
On Friday, FBR organised a function to inaugurate Tax Directories for the Tax Year 2014. The Finance Minister inaugurated the ceremony at the FBR House. However, the FBR was not allowed to invite any media person from print media. According to the FBR officials, Ministry of Finance finalised a list of 'select' channels and the FBR officials allowed entry of only those cameramen of electronic media whose names were specifically mentioned in that list.
Asked why the FBR is not inviting print media to the launching ceremony of the Tax Directory, sources said that the FBR is not permitted to invite any media person on its own as "we have to follow the instructions from the Ministry of Finance".
The FBR had the authority to invite media for coverage of different events, especially those events that took place on its own premises during tenure of PPP government.
In order to ensure maximum presence of the tax officials in the FBR Auditorium, the FBR issued a circular on the inauguration of tax directories for the Tax Year 2014. The FBR has made it mandatory for all the officers (BS-17 and above) of FBR headquarters to ensure their presence. Moreover, the FBR has also made it compulsory for all Chief Commissioners of Large Taxpayer Units (LTUs) Islamabad, Regional Tax Office (RTO) Islamabad, RTO Rawalpindi and Collectors of Customs at Model Customs Collectorates and Director Generals of Islamabad and Rawalpindi to attend the ceremony. The FBR has also directed the Chief Commissioners and Collectors of Customs to ensure presence of all BS-19 and above tax officials in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
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