FBR’s Double Standards: New Vehicles Worth 6 Billion Rupees for Officers, Sword of Dismissal for Lower Employees
Karachi ( Web News )
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to dismiss contingent employees who have been stationed in Pakistan Customs for the past ten years, labeling them as an additional burden. These contingent employees, including clerks, sweepers, and dispatch riders, are set to lose their jobs. While other federal government departments have approved extensions for such employees, the FBR has obtained approval from the Finance Division for the purchase of vehicles worth 6 billion rupees for officers but has stalled the files of contingent employees.
Due to FBR’s double standards, contingent employees at lower levels, such as Naib Qasid, Jamadar, and clerks, who earn low wages and have served for ten to twelve years, are likely to be dismissed. It is important to note that senior officials, including the Member Customs in FBR, have not forwarded the files of Pakistan Customs’ contingent employees to the Ministry of Finance. They consider these employees a burden on the national treasury. In contrast, contract and daily-wage employees in other FBR departments are having their contracts extended, and contingent employees in other federal organizations, such as the Ministry of Finance and the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), have had their contracts extended until the next fiscal year. However, for unknown reasons, the files for extension of contingent employees in Pakistan Customs have not been sent to the Ministry of Finance.
On the other hand, earlier this month, FBR signed an agreement with Honda Atlas Company for the purchase of 1,010 vehicles for officers in grades 17 and above, at a cost of 6 billion rupees. An initial payment of 3 billion rupees has already been made for these vehicles.
It is worth noting that, during the current fiscal year 2024-25, on September 5, the Finance Division imposed a complete ban on the purchase of vehicles, ambulances, school vans, medical equipment, machinery, and other equipment for federal government departments as part of the austerity campaign. The departments were also warned not to recruit new temporary employees. However, through another notification, the contracts of existing contingent employees were extended. Despite this, the files for the extension of Pakistan Customs’ contingent employees under FBR have not been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance.