Any government move aimed at appointing a junior tax official as new Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will create unrest in the senior tax management. Insiders said here on Tuesday that rumours had it that two chief commissioners from Lahore are being considered for the slot of new FBR Chairman. One is working at LTU while the other at a RTO.
Both are in Grade-21; but neither ever worked at Member's position in the FBR. If any such kind of situation arises, it would force the senior tax managers to resign from their positions in protest. In the presence of Grade-22 officials, considering a Grade-21 official for this slot is not justified. There would be a strong resistance in the tax machinery if any junior official is appointed on the said slot. The situation would be clear during the current week, they added.
If government will consider to appoint a junior government official as new Chairman FBR, the situation of 1999 will again happen when tax officials refused to work under the then FBR Chairman Sohail Ahmed. In May 2009, Members of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) refused to work under the then chairman of FBR as he was 5 to 6 years junior to the then FBR members. At that time, the government had appointed Sohail Ahmad, an official of District Management Group (DMG), as FBR Chairman. In 2009, FBR Chairman belonged to the 1980 CSS batch (seventh common training programme) as compared to senior officials of 1976 batch and those of before this period. He belonged to the seven common batch whereas FBR members belonged to the second common, third common and other senior batches. The FBR members were 5 to 6 years senior as compared to the appointed chairman in 2009.
Some of the FBR members went on leave as they had shown serious resentment over the new chairman's appointment. At that time, FBR Members had shown their concern over the appointment of a junior official of DMG on the key position of revenue generation agency.