The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has taken notice of an incident that occurred in Karachi that involved the use of a vehicle that was not registered and displaying the FBR logo. In response, the FBR have issued strict instructions on all fields concerning how to use official vehicles, including the newly purchased Honda City fleet.
The incident was a result of the traffic police stopping a car in Karachi, which was unregistered and had no number plate. The driver was identified as being the assistant commissioner of FBR and was reported to have had a problem with the police in the course of the encounter.
After that, FBR has formally directed all Chief Commissioners of Inland Revenue, Chief Collectors of Customs and Directors General (PCS/IR) as well as Collectors of Customs to strictly apply Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) concerning vehicle usage.
Misconduct and Misuse Will Not Be Tolerated
The FBR stressed that professional conduct and public decency are important, particularly from those who represent the institution. Any deviation from the SOPs of the institution–particularly those involving property belonging to the government–will be subject to severe disciplinary actions.
Key decisions taken include:
- Vehicles that are not registered can only be used after obtaining formal authorisation.
- Tinted window for FBR vehicles is prohibited.
- The unnecessary personal or private usage of official automobiles has been prohibited.
A meeting within the company has been scheduled to review these decision-making processes, and field formation directors are directed to go over the SOPs together with members of their team to ensure that they are in compliance and accountable.
Institutional Accountability Reinforced
The FBR’s statement highlighted that the conduct of officials when they are publicly directly affects their credibility as a department. Officers have been instructed to keep in mind that discipline, control, and professional conduct are required for all official actions as well as interactions with the public.
The authorities are committed to ensuring that the public’s confidence in the institutions of the nation remains unshaken and that any acts that undermine trust will be addressed swiftly and decisively.
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