FBR suspends officials for leaking Bajwa family tax record

Govt investigating nearly 12 officials including chief commissioners

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government has initiated formal proceedings against the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officers for their alleged involvement in leaking the information related to tax returns of the family members of former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and has suspended several officers.

Meanwhile, an investigation with around one dozen officials of the level of chief commissioner has started.

The two officers who were earlier made OSD and their services were handed over to the admin pool of the FBR have now been suspended.

FBR has issued a notification in this regard, saying two officers of grade 18, Atif Warraich and Zahoor Ahmed, have been suspended for 120 days. It is pertinent to mention here that both officials of grade 18 Inland Revenue were first removed from their posts.

Last month, the tax information of General (retd) Bajwa’s family was leaked. The image of the tax returns was taken from deputy commissioner’s computer.

Sources said that the scope of inquiry has been widened and probe with around one dozen officials of the level of chief commissioner has begun.

It has also been decided to include another three officials of the income tax in investigation and carry out further probe with the chief commissioner, commissioner and additional commissioner.