Performance scheme: FBR’s low-level employees protest denial of benefits

ISLAMABAD: The low-grade employees (BS-1 to 16) of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) have started agitation against the board for not extending new performance management scheme to the auditors, inspectors, superintendents and other employees falling under low cadres of BS-1-16.

The employees are demanding share in the common pool fund, performance-based rewards, and de-freezing of the special allowance.

Interestingly, a bizarre situation emerged at the FBR House on Monday when instead of any effort to calm down the agitating employees, the officers of the Administration Wing came and threatened them. “We will see you!” the protesting employees were warned.

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Around 85 percent of the FBR’s worker strength is covered under Grade 1 to 16 across the country.

Out of total FBR sanctioned strength of 28,000 employees, around 16,550 are working in the FBR and its field formations. Out of this 950 belongs to BS-17 and above and remaining officers falls under category of BS-1 to 16. At a time when these low-grade FBR employees were staging countrywide protest, the FBR authorities, apparently indifferent to the demands of the agitating staffers, issued an SRO704(I)/2024 on Monday, saying, “Monetary reward shall be sanctioned to the Cadre Officers of Pakistan Customs Service (BS-17 and above) as per their ranking under the performance management ERR transformation plan approved by the Board.”

The information collected by Business Recorder revealed that a pen down strike was observed at the FBR headquarters and its field formations for a period of time on Monday. There were small rallies, agitation and speeches and other protests across the country. The protest was observed in various cities and regional offices without exception across the country.

Recently, the FBR has introduced the said performance management scheme for BS-17 and above officials of Customs Services and Inland Revenue Services.

The protest of the FBR employees mainly focused on demands for equal distribution of rewards as per pay scale for all cadres covering inspectors, auditors, superintendents, supervisors, clerical staff, sepoys, naib qasids and sweepers. They also demanded equal share from the FBR Common Pool Fund and de-freezing of special pay package allowance for FBR low-grade employees.

The three main agenda items of protest are (i) Unjust distribution of common pool fund to CSPs officer only however as per CPF rules it is for welfare of all employees; (ii) de-freezing of performance allowance since 2013 and (iii) amendment in new reward rules in which only cadre employees are eligible for performance rewards issued by the prime minister recently.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025