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. — DNA
