This is with reference to a news item published in your esteemed daily on September 3, 2004 regarding details of CBR, Board in Council meeting chaired by CBR Chairman Abdullah Yousuf.
It was astonishing to go through the report that a private Member of the Board (equal to Grade 21 Officer) informed the council that the Sales Tax auditors are not properly co-operating with the tax authorities and they (auditors) are not ready to comply with the Board instructions issued from time to time.
Can you accept from a high authority in any public or private organisation who is highly paid (more than Rs 100000/-) so helpless and feeble in exercising his authority and ensuring compliance of instructions from his subordinates.
This story in fact indicates some on-going inside battle of power in CBR.
According to informed sources there is no complaint from field formation authorities on non co-operation or non-compliance of instructions from auditors rather there are reliable reports of full "co-operation" among them. It may, however, be possible that fruits of this "co-operation" might have not reached the concerned authorities in CBR.
There are also reliable reports that audit authorities in collectorates issue audit schedule to the auditors only after advance payment of their chunk (up to Rs 50000/- per audit) and those who are unable to pay in advance have no right to be retained in the audit section.
Would the Chairman CBR like to see the other side of the picture?