KARACHI: In a surprise move, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has posted Shaukat Ali (BS-21/PCS) as Director General Intelligence & Investigation – FBR. Shaukat Ali is transferred from the office of Member Legal Federal Board of Revenue (Hq), Islamabad.
This development raises several questions as Shaukat Ali has never served on high-profile postings during his career. The only mentionable office he held, for a brief period, was that of Collector MCC Faisalabad. During his tenure as Collector MCC Faisalabad in 2013, Shaukat Ali was named in the vehicles amnesty scam. The infamous vehicles amnesty scheme resulted in huge monetary loss to the national exchequer, that is now termed as vehicles amnesty scam.
It may be mentioned here that several officers were named in the vehicles amnesty scam, and these officers since them remained on bad postings. The transfers and postings IRS officers are preceded by a strict filtering process. Intelligence reports from several agencies are also considered before transfers. Moreover, Ministry of Finance and FBR has been pursuing a policy of having competent as well as reputed officers at sensitive positions.
Posting of Shaukat Ali as DG Intelligence & Investigation – FBR comes a surprise rather shocking because the incumbent officer does not have the required experience as he has not headed any collectorate except MCC Faisalabad and that too is tainted.