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ISLAMABAD: The Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation has obtained 60-day stay from the appellate tribunal of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) against freezing of its account for non-payment of Rs1.3 billion taxes, and paid the stuck-up salaries of its 247 employees for the month of January.
On the other hand, the FBR officer who had pinpointed the non-payment of taxes by the foundation has been promoted to BPS-18. The officer from the income tax group was working with the FGEHF on deputation, said an official of the foundation.
According to sources, last month the FBR instructed Askari Bank’s Blue Area branch through the State Bank to freeze the accounts of the foundation for not paying the taxes. As a result, the bank refused to transfer salaries of the 247 employees of the foundation on January 31. The taxes were imposed on transfer fees of plots in sector G-13, G-14 and E-12.
An officer of the foundation alleged that Zafar Haider Jappa, who had come from FBR to FGEHF on deputation as DD finance, was responsible for what happened with the employees. However, according to FBR rules, officials pinpointing tax evasion or embezzlement were entitled to promotion.
When contacted, Mr Jappa said his promotion was due since September 20, 2010, and it took one-and-a-half years to get the approval. “It should not be mixed up with the matter of tax collection,” he said.
Director General FGEHF Talat Rasheed Mian confirmed to Dawn that the stay had been obtained from the tribunal and salaries released to the employees. He said there was a communication gap between the foundation and the FBR. “Now we have got 60 days so we will be able to present our figures and resolve the issue,” he said. Regarding Mr Jappa’s promotion, he said it might have been due and was just a coincidence.”
Despite repeated attempts, FBR spokesperson Rifat Shaheen could not be contacted for comments.
