ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officers were in trouble as they protested against the increasing inflation in Pakistan as they sought leave till June due to the low pay scale that made it challenging for them to meet the expenses of coming to the office.
The latest reports suggested that 117 officers of Income Tax grade 17 to 19 wrote a letter to FBR Chairman Asim Ahmed and informed him about their low pay packages. The officers, in their letter, mentioned that due to the low salary, they were struggling to make ends meet in the skyrocketing inflation era.
The news of the protest came as a setback for the FBR and could have serious implications for the country’s economy. The FBR collects taxes and revenue for the government.
The FBR chairman responded to the issue by stating that he would discuss the matter of the salary scale of the officers with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He also mentioned that the performance allowance of the tax officer has been seized since 2015.
This was not the first time that the FBR officers had expressed their dissatisfaction with their low pay scale. In 2019, the FBR officers had gone on a strike, demanding an increase in their salaries and other benefits.
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A Federal Bureau of Revenue officer made a strange appeal by requesting permission for corruption in a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, citing the need to address household expenses during the period of high inflation.
This had caused a stir among the government officials and the public alike, as it was a blatant violation of the law.
