ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has started taking action against habitual latecomers and served explanation letters to over 40 latecomer officers and staff.
Chairman Tariq Bajwa had directed all the concerned departments to submit attendance report of officers on weekly basis.
Earlier, Chairman Bajwa had taken strong notice of irregularity of FBR officers and after due deliberations he directed all the field formations and provincial headquarters to furnish report about the arrival and departure of officers in the offices because he was of the view that irregularity also affected the performance of staff.
The response to directions of the Chairman, regional formations and headquarters started furnishing weekly report about arrival and departure of the officers from their offices. After going through the sent reports, the said departments had issued explanation letters to habitual latecomers. Earlier, in a Board-N-Council meeting held recently, it was also decided to withdraw performance allowance of habitual late comers which was equal to one month full salary.
Officers are of the view that FBR, instead of teasing officers and staff in the name of tightening the habitual latecomers, must consider the best available international practices before using the system. Movement of officers and staff is not being monitored as per service rules and regulations framed by the Establishment Division, because the rules of Establishment Division only monitors arrival and departure of officers up to grade 16 and not the officers of higher grades.
Although FBR has not framed any new rule in this regard however, it must devise if it wants to implement any system in this regard, otherwise it will be equal to lowering the moral of staff.