KARACHI: The Inland Revenue Service Officers Association (IRSOA) has issued a strong call to its members to collectively boycott the recently launched Rating and Reward System (RRS) by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) administration. After thorough deliberation, the Association has deemed the RRS a deeply flawed initiative that undermines the professional integrity and structural stability of the Inland Revenue Service (IRS).
The IRSOA has outlined several reasons for its unanimous rejection of the RRS:
- Discriminatory Review System: The IRSOA argues that no other civil service in Pakistan is subjected to such an intrusive and discriminatory review system, singling out the IRS unfairly.
- Subjective Evaluation Criteria: The criteria for evaluation under the RRS are entirely subjective, opening the door to personal biases and favoritism. For instance, out of 50 officers, only 10 can be graded in category-A, forcing the remaining 40 officers to be labeled as corrupt. The system is designed in such a way that 80% of the officers would be forcefully labeled corrupt, otherwise, the form would not get submitted.
- Unfair Labeling of Peers: It is grossly unfair to expect FBR officers to practically label their peers as corrupt or lacking integrity.
- Harm to FBR’s Reputation: The introduction of the RRS will further harm the reputation of the FBR, an organization already subject to undue and unfair scrutiny compared to other government departments. This will inevitably impact the performance of the FBR and consequently state revenue.
The IRSOA firmly believes that the RRS is not a reformative initiative but an ill-conceived mechanism that will exacerbate existing challenges instead of resolving them. The Association stands united in its resolve to resist this policy and calls upon the FBR administration to withdraw the scheme immediately. They urge the administration to engage in meaningful dialogue with stakeholders to address genuine concerns and focus on constructive reforms that strengthen the Inland Revenue Service and its critical role in national development.