FBR stopped from taking legal action against Ayyan

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been stopped from taking legal action against model Ayyan Ali for hiding her income and tax evasion.

A case under section 192-A of the Income Tax Ordinance has been prepared against Ayyan Ali which states that hiding income over Rs 500,000 or providing wrongful information is a criminal offence punishable by two years in prison or bank accounts being seized.

According to an FBR officer, the FBR has no interest in supporting Ayyan Ali or other tax evaders. Action will be taken if tax evasion under the concerned section of the Income Tax Ordinance is proven in front of a special judge.

The FBR states that Ayyan Ali has a National Tax Number (NTN) but she has never declared her income or assets. The mode owns a flat in DHA Karachi which was purchased in September 2011. She also has an account in a Karachi private bank with funds of Rs 3.5 to 4.0 million. There were also two transactions of Rs 900,000 in this account during October 2014.

Ayyan owns a double-cabin vehicle which is worth Rs 1.5 million. The model has been on 40 foreign visits and has a business visa for the UAE. The model also has a company AAZI setup in the Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone in Dubai. The FBR states Ayyan paid AED 6,000 to establish this company in order to obtain visas for her close relatives.

According to reports it is clear that there is enough evidence which implicates Ayyan Ali involvement in tax evasion, however, it is not clear why the FBR has stopped from taking legal action against the model.