Disciplinary action taken against five CBR officials

The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has taken disciplinary action against five senior customs officials (of Grades 18 to 20), under the Removal of Services Ordinance, involved in serious violations of rules and regulations.
Sources told Business Recorder on Monday that CBR has issued notifications to suspend several officials of Customs and Excise Group during the first phase of its campaign to punish officials against whom documentary evidence is available.
According to one notification, two top customs officials of Grade-20 have been suspended with immediate effect. Muhammad Nazim Saleem, Chief, Customs Wing, CBR, and Nadir Khan Hoti, Collector, Collectorate of Sales Tax and Federal Excise, have been suspended under section 4 of Removal from Services (Special Powers) Ordinance 2000.
The CBR has also made Muhammad Raza Baqir, BS-20, of Customs and Excise Group, as Officer on Special Duty (OSD). Through another notification, three officials of Grade 18-19 have been suspended. These are Dr Naeem Aijaz Qureshi, Additional Collector, Collectorate of Sales Tax Faisalabad; Asim Majeed Khan, Additional Collector, Large Taxpayer Unit, Lahore; and Muhammad Saeed Wattoo, Second Secretary (BS-18), CBR Headquarters.
Sources said that the above-mentioned officials remained posted in different Collectorates of Sales Tax in the past and were suspended on charges of issuance of sales tax refunds.
For example, the suspended CBR Customs chief remained posted as Collector, Sales Tax, Lahore, and suspended Collector also remained posted as Collector, Sales Tax, Rawalpindi. Other officials of Grade 18-19 had worked at different positions at various regional sales tax collectorates.
Meanwhile, a CBR official said that suspension could be termed as a first step towards action against officials, against whom documentary evidence is available.
A few weeks back, the Board had started the exercise to compile data of officials involved in corrupt practices. The CBR will not spare any official involved in corrupt practices and each and every official would be taken to task under the Removal from Services Ordinance, officials added.