The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is in the midst of a predicament as its officers have apparently requested leave until June in order to protest against the rising inflation that is affecting their ability to make ends meet.
In a letter addressed to the FBR Chairman Asim Ahmed, 117 Income Tax officers ranging from grades 17 to 19 have expressed their discontent with a meagre pay scale.
“Due to low pay, we are unable to meet the expenses of coming to the office in this era of skyrocketing inflation,” the letter stated.
This issue is extremely worrisome as the absence of these officers during the crucial budgeting process could have grave consequences for the country’s economy since the FBR is accountable for collecting taxes and revenue for the government.
According to ARY News, the FBR Chairman has promised to raise the matter of the officers’ salary scale with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Additionally, he mentioned that the tax officers’ performance allowance has been withheld since 2015.
It’s worth noting that an FBR officer made a peculiar request in a separate incident. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the officer requested permission to engage in corrupt activities in order to cover domestic expenses in the face of soaring inflation.
