NBR split into two divisions

The government has dissolved the National Board of Revenue (NBR), maintaining strict secrecy.

The restructuring was enacted through an ordinance early Tuesday.

Now, the NBR has split into two separate entities– the Revenue Policy Division and the Revenue Administration Division.

The ordinance, approved by the Advisory Council on April 17, was formally issued on Tuesday—25 days after the initial approval.

It says the government will announce the effective date of implementation through a separate gazette notification.

Officers from the Income Tax and Customs cadres voiced strong objections, with their associations calling for the ordinance to be revoked.

The ordinance allows for the appointment of any ‘suitably qualified government officer’ as secretary of the Revenue Policy Division.

It adds that with the dissolution of the NBR, its existing personnel will be absorbed into the Revenue Administration Division. The structure of both new divisions will be defined through future government notifications.