ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar has granted approval for unfreezing 100 percent executive allowance for FBR officers in Grade 17 and above working in the headquarters with effect from November 1, 2023.
This approval of the summary by the top executive office of the country demonstrates the government possesses this viewpoint that the field formation officers working in the FBR could take care of themselves and there was no need to grant them an allowance at this point in time.
A retired officer commented that in the first phase, officers from the FBR headquarters got allowance for themselves. He said now the stage would be set for getting it done for field formations in the near future.
Another official said it is discriminatory that field formation officers have been deprived of the executive allowance. The field formation officers are among those who really worked hard to materialise the revenue collection target. This notification has caused resentment among the field formation officers across the country.
The approval granted by the Prime Minister’s Office says “the PM had seen and was pleased to approve the proposal for the provision of allowances for FBR Headquarters. The FBR Headquarters allowance 2023 shall be admissible to the officers of BS-17 and above at the FBR headquarters only. It shall be admissible with effect from November 1, 2023. The expenditure involved shall be met by the FBR from its allocated budget for the current financial year 2023-24.”
The sources said the headquarters allowance was frozen in 2016 which was now restored. Now the executive allowance was restricted to only Grade 17 and above working in the FBR’s headquarters. One official source said that if the FBR wants to remain within the allocated budget, then additional salaries or other perks should be cut.
According to official data of the FBR, the total sanctioned strength of headquarters stood at 1,066 posts from Grade 1-22 whereas the working strength was standing at 1,053.
In Grade 21, the sanctioned strength is 11 officers but the working strength is seven officers. In Grade 20, the working strength is 24 officers but the working strength at the moment stands at 72 officers. In Grade 19, the sanctioned strength in the FBR stands at 22 officers but the working strength is hovering around 21 officers. In Grade 19, the sanctioned strength stands at 51 officers against the working strength of 105 officers. In Grade 18, the sanctioned strength stands at 60 officers against the working strength of just 46 officers. In Grade 17, the sanctioned strength stands at 55 officers but the working strength stands at 41 officers.
