Mohsin Siddiqui ( Chief Reporter)

Federal government has approved a significant 140% increase in the headquarters allowance for officers holding positions in grades 17 to 22 at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). This boost, set to take effect from November 1, 2023, is exclusively designed for officers stationed at the FBR headquarters.

The term “Headquarters Allowance” was officially introduced on November 1, 2023. However, the 140% increase will be applicable to the basic salary, with retroactive effect from June 30, 2022. As per official documents, the Regulation Department of the Ministry of Finance issued a notification on November 1, 2023, instructing the Accountant General of Pakistan Islamabad to distribute copies to the Chairman FBR and the Secretary Revenue Division.

The documents available with Pay Tax outline that the 140% Headquarters Allowance, active from 2023, is specifically tailored for officers falling within the grades 17 to 22 bracket at the FBR headquarters. Notably, those entitled to the allowance in 2023 will witness a freeze in their Performance Allowance and the second fixed remuneration of the FBR.

Additionally, the documentation specifies that officers in grades 17 to 22 at the FBR headquarters, possessing or having requisitioned residential accommodation, will experience a suspension of excess charges over the specified ceiling in their hiring charges. The terms and conditions for this 140% Headquarters Allowance align with those applied to all federal government employees receiving various allowances.

It’s crucial to highlight that the federal government had previously greenlit the rationalization of allowances for officers in grades 17 to 22 at the FBR headquarters in October. This decision followed the proposal by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Institutional Reforms and Austerity, Dr. Ishrat Hussain