The number of cases with Covid-19 positive has been increasing in the field formations of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), as now 14 employees/officers of Regional Taxpayer Office (RTO) Quetta have been found infected with the virus.

Earlier, the FBR's female official from Large Taxpayer Unit (LTU) Islamabad was found Covid-19 positive as she was already admitted into hospital.

According to a recent order issued by the RTO Islamabad, authorities have asked the relevant government agencies to exempt officers and officials of the RTO Islamabad from lockdown.

The RTO Islamabad said that in pursuance of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)'s instructions, the field offices of the FBR Islamabad including RTO Islamabad were fully operational for the purpose of revenue collection. In this perspective, the officials/officers of the RTO Islamabad were required to reach the office to perform their official duties.

After detection of a case at LTU Islamabad, both the LTU Islamabad and Regional Tax Office (RTO) Islamabad (main offices are in the same building) remained closed for few days.

Now with this rising number of 14 official of COVID-19 positive has caused alarm bells among the working staff.

At LTUs and RTOs, disinfection of premises, social distancing and all other precautionary measures are needed to fully enforce by the FBR.

At the level of the FBR Headquarters, the FBR has also taken precautionary measures, including use of masks by the visitors during movement within the FBR House. The use of biometrics by the FBR employees at the entry of the building has already been suspended under the precautionary measures