A Grade 17 officer of the Inland Revenue Service (IRS) in Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has allegedly written a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requesting permission to start engaging in corrupt activities from April 1.
The officer claims that he has faced difficulties in meeting his expenses due to his low salary and the current high inflation in the country.
The FBR officer’s letter highlights the struggles faced by government officials in Pakistan, where low salaries and high inflation have left many struggling to make ends meet.
The officer claims to have never committed a single rupee of corruption, despite earning below-the-table money on several occasions. However, he now feels left with no option but to look for illicit means to make ends meet, and seeks permission from the Prime Minister to engage in corruption.
The officer has shared his salary and general expenses in the letter, which amount to Rs122,922 and Rs110,500 respectively, not including petty expenses as a husband and father.
He promises not to cause huge losses to the national exchequer and take the minimum possible, as he is not a habitual corrupt person but has been forced by the circumstances and consequent disregard from his own Prime Minister.
This incident raises serious concerns about corruption in Pakistan, particularly in the FBR. Despite efforts by the government to tackle corruption, it remains a significant problem in the country, and incidents like this only serve to further erode public trust in government institutions.
The FBR, in particular, has been a focus of corruption allegations in recent years, with reports of bribery and embezzlement by some of its officials.
To address the issue of corruption in Pakistan, the government needs to take concrete steps to improve the financial situation of its officials, including those in the FBR.
This may involve increasing salaries to ensure that government officials are able to meet their expenses without resorting to corrupt activities. It also means implementing effective measures to prevent corruption and holding corrupt officials accountable for their actions.
 in Pakistan's Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has requested permission from the Prime Minister to engage in corruption due to low salary and high inflation.){kind=link}