ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has not yet approved a summary moved by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for the creation of a new contractual post following the retirement of Member Inland Revenue (IR) Operations Dr. Hamid Ateeq Sarwar.
Top official sources confirmed to The News on Monday that the prime minister may soon approve the establishment of a new post within the FBR, titled “Member Transformation Strategy,” to allow the appointment of a senior official on a contractual basis.
The creation of this new position appears to be aimed at retaining Dr. Hamid Ateeq Sarwar after his retirement. However, the possibility of granting him additional charge as Member IR Operations has diminished, as that post is a cadre position — one that cannot be assigned to contractual employees — thereby affecting the promotion process for eligible successor officers.
Dr. Hamid Ateeq Sarwar retired last week upon reaching the age of superannuation in BPS-22. In the interim, the FBR has assigned additional charge of the Member IR Operations post to its Member Administration.
According to an official notification issued by the FBR: “Mr. Mohammad Iqbal, a BS-22 officer of the Inland Revenue Service, presently posted as Member (Admin/HR), Federal Board of Revenue (HQ), Islamabad, is assigned additional charge
of the post of Member (IR-Operations), FBR (HQ), Islamabad, in addition to his own duties, with immediate effect as per rules.”
When contacted for comment, senior officials in the Shehbaz-led government said that the proposed new post would ensure that promotion opportunities for Inland Revenue officers are not blocked.
“We will not appoint anyone to a cadre post to keep promotion prospects intact. However, at the same time, the government does not want to lose experienced human resources,” one official remarked.
It is now widely expected that the government will create the post of FBR’s Member Transformation Strategy and appoint Dr. Hamid Ateeq Sarwar to it on a contractual basis. Meanwhile, the FBR will have to appoint a new Member IR Operations in the coming days.
However, a debate is ongoing in policymaking circles over whether cadre postings should be reserved strictly for experienced officers within the system or whether the government can retain retiring officials or bring in top talent from the private sector.
The FBR faces the formidable task of collecting Rs14.13 trillion in the current fiscal year (2025–26), up from Rs11.7 trillion in the previous year. FBR Chairman Rashid Mehmood Langrial is currently on medical rest after undergoing a minor surgery, but continues to attend official meetings virtually.
