Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has suspended two Inland Revenue Service (IRS) officers and repatriated two others to its headquarters for further investigation over an unauthorised press statement and a call to stop official work. The action comes as the tax authority continues implementing reforms and seeks to address concerns raised by members of the Inland Revenue Association. According to the FBR, the matter involves alleged violations of civil service conduct rules, prompting the department to initiate disciplinary action against the officers concerned.
The two suspended officers belong to Basic Scale 20 (BS-20) and Basic Scale 19 (BS-19), respectively, while the two officers repatriated to FBR Headquarters are both in BS-20. The authority has moved the officers back to its headquarters to facilitate further investigation into the matter. The actions reflect the department’s response to the unauthorised communication and work stoppage call, although the allegations remain subject to the applicable disciplinary process.
According to an official FBR statement, the officers’ conduct prima facie violated Rules 23 and 26 of the Civil Servants (Conduct) Rules, 2026, framed under the Civil Servants Act, 1973. The authority stated that the alleged violations could constitute misconduct under Rule 34. These provisions have been cited as the basis for examining the officers’ actions and determining whether their conduct breached the requirements governing public servants.
The FBR said disciplinary proceedings would be initiated under the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020. The authority maintained that such misconduct would not be tolerated, signalling its intention to pursue the matter through the prescribed administrative and disciplinary framework. Further proceedings are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the press statement and the call for officials to stop work.
The development comes amid discussions over the government’s ongoing FBR reforms, which have prompted concerns among members of the Inland Revenue Association. Sources said the prime minister expressed displeasure during a meeting convened to review the reform process over the association’s announcement of a pen-down strike in response to the changes. The reported remarks indicate that the work stoppage had become a concern at the government level as officials reviewed the progress and implementation of tax administration reforms.
The Inland Revenue Association subsequently withdrew its strike call following a meeting with the FBR’s Member Administration and Member Operations. The withdrawal followed discussions between the association and senior FBR officials, bringing the immediate work stoppage dispute to an end. The development provides an opportunity for engagement between the tax authority and its employees as the reform process continues.
The disciplinary action and withdrawal of the strike call represent separate developments in the wider situation surrounding FBR reforms. While the association has called off its planned work stoppage after talks with senior officials, the investigation involving the four IRS officers remains a matter for the department’s administrative process. The FBR has stated that it will proceed under the relevant civil service rules, with the outcome dependent on the applicable disciplinary proceedings.
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