A significant gap in benefits between the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) cadre officers, mainly from the Civil Service of Pakistan (CSP), and their non-cadre counterparts has triggered unrest within the organization. Sources revealed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently approved a reward system that heavily favors cadre officers, granting them up to four times more privileges than non-cadre staff.

Under the new system, cadre officers are set to receive an annual reward equivalent to 48 basic salaries, while non-cadre officers will only be awarded 8 basic salaries annually. This stark difference of 40 basic salaries is cited as the primary cause of dissatisfaction among FBR employees.

Additionally, officers in Grade 17 and above—mostly cadre members—will benefit from an extra monthly income ranging between Rs. 45,000 and Rs. 70,000 through the Common Pool Fund. This fund is financed by a levy of one rupee per receipt from Point of Sale (POS) systems. Employees in Grade 16 and below, predominantly non-cadre, are excluded from this benefit.

Further fueling grievances, sources disclosed that cadre officers have been offered monthly rental apartments valued between Rs. 150,000 and Rs. 250,000. These accommodations are reportedly available even to officers involved in hiring processes.

Highlighting the financial impact, a Grade 20 cadre officer with a basic salary of Rs. 200,000 could earn millions of rupees annually when factoring in these additional rewards and benefits.

The growing disparity has led to deep resentment among non-cadre FBR employees, who feel marginalized by the preferential treatment extended to cadre officers. This divide is the main driver behind the nationwide protest announced by FBR staff.