The official seniority list of IRS officers is prepared and maintained by the Establishment Division in collaboration with the FBR’s Human Resource Management (HRM) Wing. Here is its typical structure:
While necessary, the seniority-based list is not without flaws:
To address this, the government introduced the Performance-Based Promotion Policy (2021) , which adds 30% weight to performance evaluation alongside 70% seniority. However, seniority remains the dominant factor.
Only senior-most officers act as presiding members of DPCs that evaluate juniors. seniority list of irs officers fbr
In pursuance of the rules and regulations governing the Federal Board of Revenue, the Seniority List of Inland Revenue Service (IRS) officers is maintained to establish a clear order of precedence for purposes of promotion, posting, and career progression. This list is updated periodically by the Human Resource (HR) Wing of the FBR.
The seniority of IRS officers is determined in accordance with the Civil Servants (Promotion) Rules, 2019, and the specific promotion instructions issued by the Establishment Division. The list is subject to change based on Promotion Board meetings, retirements, and legal proceedings.
The seniority of officers in the Inland Revenue Service is generally determined by the following criteria: The official seniority list of IRS officers is
The future Chairman of the FBR is almost always the senior-most IRS officer in BS-22 who is willing to accept the post. By studying the seniority list, political governments can predict who will be in line for the Chairman’s slot in the coming three to five years.
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: Only senior-most officers act as presiding members of
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.
The seniority list of IRS officers in the FBR is the unspoken constitution of Pakistan’s tax bureaucracy. It determines who commands a Regional Tax Office (RTO) in Karachi, who becomes the Member of Tax Policy in Islamabad, and ultimately, who sits in the Chairman’s chair.
For an IRS officer, their position on this list is their professional identity—a number that defines their pace of promotion, the respect they command, and their legacy. For the Government of Pakistan, maintaining the accuracy, fairness, and transparency of this list is vital for the morale of the 10,000+ officers and staff who collect the nation’s revenue.
If you are an IRS officer or a researcher, always verify the list from the official FBR HR Wing notification dated 1st January or 1st July of the current year.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes. Seniority lists change due to retirements, court orders, and departmental promotions. Always consult the official FBR website for the most current legal document.