Islamabad, April 11, 2025 – A senior officer of the Inland Revenue Service (IRS), holding the position of BS-20, has been awarded the major penalty of dismissal from service following a comprehensive disciplinary process.
The officer, Muhammad Azhar Ansari (IRS/BS-20), was also ordered to repay the embezzled amount in accordance with applicable financial and civil service laws.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) initiated disciplinary proceedings against the officer under the Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020, citing serious allegations of misconduct. The primary charge against Azhar Ansari involved concealing and allegedly tampering with his date of birth to extend his tenure beyond the legally permissible superannuation age.
The inquiry was led by Ms. Sadia Sadaf Gilani (IRS/BS-21), who at the time served as Member (Admn/HR) at FBR Headquarters, Islamabad. After a thorough investigation, she submitted her report on October 29, 2024, concluding that all charges had been substantiated. Subsequently, a Show Cause Notice was issued to Azhar Ansari on December 4, 2024, to which he submitted a denial of the allegations on December 23, 2024. Despite his written response and a personal hearing opportunity granted by the Secretary Revenue Division, the inquiry findings were upheld.
After examining the full case record, the competent authority imposed two major penalties: recovery of the embezzled funds under Rule 4(3)(a), and dismissal from service with effect from May 24, 2020, under Rule 4(3)(e) of the Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020. The FBR emphasized that if the recovery cannot be fulfilled through salary or other dues payable to the officer, further legal channels will be pursued to retrieve the government’s loss.
This case marks a rare instance of such a high-ranking IRS officer facing strict disciplinary action, reinforcing the FBR’s commitment to accountability and transparency within the IRS cadre. Muhammad Azhar Ansari (IRS/BS-20) retains the right to appeal under the Civil Servants (Appeals) Rules, 1977, within 30 days of the notification’s issuance.
The IRS community is closely observing the case, as it sets a precedent for stringent enforcement of ethical conduct in Pakistan’s revenue service.