Inside FBR, old IRS officers say: “The seniority list is not just a document — it’s a battlefield.” Because every 1 number up or down can mean the difference between becoming a Chief Commissioner or retiring as a Deputy Commissioner.
And that’s why IRS officers secretly keep two versions of seniority:
Whenever the FBR announces promotions, IRS officers quickly check both — and often find discrepancies. The result? At least 5–6 seniority-based representations are filed with the Establishment Division every year. seniority list of irs officers fbr
Before diving into the seniority list, it is essential to understand the organization.
The seniority list ranks IRS officers from the most senior (typically a grade 22 officer, such as a Member or Chairman) down to the most junior (probationary officers in grade 17). Inside FBR, old IRS officers say: “The seniority
When you access the PDF of the latest FBR seniority list, here is exactly what you will see (typically in order):
| S.No | IRS No. | Name of Officer | Batch (CSS Year) | Date of Birth | Date of Entry | Present Grade (BS) | Present Posting | |------|---------|----------------|------------------|---------------|----------------|--------------------|-------------------| | 1 | IRS-001 | Syed Muhammad Shabbar Zaidi | 1984 | 15-04-1960 | 15-10-1985 | 22 | Chairman (Retired) | | 2 | IRS-045 | Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed | 1985 | 22-08-1962 | 12-11-1986 | 22 | Member Policy | | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | | 450 | IRS-890 | Amna Batool | 2015 | 05-03-1990 | 20-07-2016 | 18 | DC IR, RTO Islamabad | Whenever the FBR announces promotions, IRS officers quickly
A seniority list ranks officers by length of service and affects promotions, postings, transfer priority, and eligibility for certain assignments. In tax administrations such as the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in Pakistan, a clear seniority framework ensures transparency for career progression among IRS (Inland Revenue Service) officers.
Despite clear rules, seniority disputes are common in the IRS due to:
Key Judgment: In Shahid Mehmood vs. Federation of Pakistan (2015), the Supreme Court held that FBR must strictly follow the seniority list for promotions; any deviation requires recorded reasons and approval from the Establishment Division.
CSS ranks determine initial seniority. An officer who secured Rank #2 in the CSS exam will always be senior to an officer with Rank #50 in the same batch, regardless of performance after induction. However, disputes arise regarding the allocation of provincial quotas (Punjab, Sindh, KPK, Balochistan) and how they affect the merged list.