ISLAMABAD: The government has assured the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it will strengthen the Integrity Management Cell (IMC) within the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to curb corruption, digitise complaint handling and tighten oversight of tax officials.
A formal notification of the revised Terms of Reference (ToRs) of the IMC will now be issued.
It has been committed in writing to the IMF that the FBR will publish anonymised data on the receipt and processing of complaints to prevent reputational risk to officials and to safeguard the interests of complainants.
The FBR will digitise the Complaint Management Cell. The use of a dedicated online platform for logging, scrutinising and investigating corruption-related complaints will enhance procedural efficiency and ensure that all cases are handled in a standardised and traceable manner. The IMC webpage on the FBR website will also be optimised.
The IMC was established several years ago but remained dormant. Under the IMF programme, it will now be made an effective mechanism to take action against corrupt officials. The Performance and Integrity Management Committee shall oversee the performance of the Integrity Management Cell (IMC).
The IMC will report directly to the FBR chairman for enhanced accountability and streamlined operations. The complaint cell will maintain data regarding the number of complaints received, the number rejected after evaluation, the number formally placed under investigation, and the number categorised according to the outcome of investigations. This will not entail the contents of complaints becoming public by June 2027.
Top official sources confirmed to The News that the FBR will establish an Internal Affairs Unit within the organisation, reporting directly to the Chairman, with a formal mandate to develop and enforce integrity and anti-corruption policies, investigate misconduct at all staff levels, and coordinate with relevant enforcement bodies as required.
The use of a dedicated online platform for logging, scrutinising and investigating corruption-related complaints will enhance procedural efficiency and ensure that all cases are handled in a standardised and traceable manner. The IMC webpage on the FBR website will be optimised by June 2027.
The FBR will enforce the IMC’s inquiry recommendations under the Efficiency and Discipline Rules and impose penalties in cases of corruption. Where criminal wrongdoing is established, the matter will be referred to the relevant agency with jurisdiction, including the police, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Establishment Division, and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The Performance and Integrity Management Committee will periodically review the effectiveness of the IMC and provide recommendations to the Chairman for continuous improvement. The FBR will publish disciplinary penalties on its website, and information regarding penalties imposed as a result of disciplinary proceedings will be made available.
To strengthen oversight and reporting arrangements, the Performance and Integrity Management Committee shall oversee the performance of the Integrity Management Cell (IMC). The IMC will report directly to the Chairman for enhanced accountability and streamlined operations. The scope of the IMC will be revisited to address all complaints related to corruption and deviant behaviour.
Meanwhile, the government is considering introducing an amendment bill in the FBR Act 2007 to grant the Secretary, Revenue Division, the power to appoint Members in the tax machinery. Currently, the FBR chairman made appointments to the FBR, but recently some litigations have raised questions over the powers of the FBR chairman, contending that these are powers of the federal government that cannot be exercised by the FBR chairman.
