Islamabad, July 23, 2025 – In a dramatic turn of events, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has dropped the hammer on a principal appraiser involved in a serious case of negligence that cost the exchequer dearly. The FBR has imposed a strict penalty on Mr. Irfan Masih, a principal appraiser (BS-16), following revelations of gross inefficiency in a high-stakes customs case involving the misdeclaration of imported goods. The case stems from a misvaluation scandal in which imported coffee sachets were shockingly assessed at a lowball rate of USD 3.90/kg instead of the actual USD 8.75/kg — a move that raised red flags across the department. Disciplinary proceedings were launched under the Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 2020, and the FBR wasted no time in charging the principal appraiser for his failure to apply due diligence. A formal inquiry, led by Deputy Collector Aadarsh Jawahery, concluded that while charges of corruption and misconduct could not be proven, inefficiency on the part of the principal appraiser was “undeniably established.” Despite repeated chances to explain himself, Irfan Masih admitted during a Zoom-based hearing that the valuation ruling had been overlooked due to a rush of workload. The FBR’s…