Appointments/promotions are prerequisite of any government office but in case of FTO, the criteria in both cases have been violated, the letter says.
According to details, an officer was working as Private Secretary (BPS-17) in Supreme Court of Pakistan. He was offered BS-19 as Secretary to FTO.
Meanwhile, a woman official working on selection scale (BS-16), stenographer, in Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman) was offered (BS-19) as Secretary to FTO as well.
Another officer was working as OMG in Establishment Division as S.O BPS-18. He was appointed as Director in FTO and awarded BPS-19.
A Deputy Director of BPS-18 in National Crisis Management Cell, Interior Division, was promoted as Director BS-19 in Lahore.
In another move, a private secretary working in customs, excise Karachi and a UDC BS-7 in Income Tax Appellate Tribunal Lahore have been awarded BS-11 and as assistant LRO respectively.
The Directorate General Audit has pointed out to FTO that these appointments/promotions from Establishment Division did not depict true picture and were actually not correctly interpreted.
It was also observed by the Directorate General of Audit that the Federal Tax Mohtasib made frequent visits abroad and within the country during 2000-04. An amount of Rs 1,429,674 from the public exchequer had been drawn for the said purpose.
It has been mentioned that frequent visits, without any tour program and purpose of journeys, are not understood. In audit opinion, the expenditure to the tune of Rs 1,429,674 seemed ''unjustified''.
In response to these allegations for violating the rules and regulations in appointments and promotions, sources in FTO Secretariat said that a summary was being prepared in this regard, claiming that the organisation had not violated rules and regulations in any case.
Officials from federal/provincial governments were requisitioned for appointment on deputation basis from time to time and such officers were allowed benefit of higher grade as an incentive by the Federal Tax Ombudsman, being a competent authority, up to BPS-19.
About expenses of Federal Tax Mohtasib visits during 2000-04, FTO is of the view that the expenditure incurred on TA/DA was justified under the rules.
According to summary, sources said, the external visits were undertaken with prior approval of Prime Minister whereas the internal visits were made according to proper tour programs in public interest.