Tax evasion in Pakistan amounts to a staggering Rs 30 billion

Cases have been filed over the past year against 166 tax defaulters who collectively owe a staggering Rs 30 billion to the Pakistani exchequer, a minister said.

Cases have been filed over the past year against 166 tax defaulters who collectively owe a staggering Rs 30 billion to the Pakistani exchequer, a minister said.

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Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh told the National Assembly on Thursday that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), has over the past year filed cases against 166 tax defaulters. They owe nearly Rs 30 billion to the national exchequer.

During 2009-10, the FBR issued notices to 114 defaulters for over Rs 10 billion. 52 taxpayers against whom the bureau has tax claims of Rs 18 billion have received stay orders from different appellate forums, Pakistani newspaper, Dawn reported on Friday.

FBR officials had recently told the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly that the bureau was stuck in litigation in superior courts against thousands of tax evaders who owed about Rs 100 billion.

The Supreme Court chief justice has set up a separate bench to hear tax related pending cases.