913 tax evasion cases revealed

LAHORE : A new financial scandal linked to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has come to light, as the Public Accounts Committee-II (PAC-II) disclosed 913 cases of financial irregularities during the fiscal year 2021–22.

The committee revealed that the negligence of 39 revenue officers resulted in a staggering loss of Rs 698 million to the national exchequer. According to the PAC-II report, the financial mismanagement stemmed from the failure of revenue officials to collect due taxes on property transactions across various cities in Punjab. These lapses allowed buyers and sellers to evade property-related tax obligations, leading to massive shortfalls in revenue collection.

Despite the revelation of these cases, no recovery has been made to date. More alarmingly, no disciplinary or legal action has been initiated against the responsible revenue officers. The PAC-II, headed by Chairman Syed Ali Haider Gilani, has directed the Board of Revenue to recover the entire amount within one month. The committee expressed strong dissatisfaction over the absence of Nabeel Javed, Senior Member of the Board of Revenue, who was summoned to appear before the committee to explain the situation.

His failure to attend the proceedings was seen as a serious disregard for accountability, prompting stern remarks from the chairman. Speaking to The News, sources stated that the corruption cases identified in the audit report were grave and must be addressed urgently. However, he also confirmed that the committee, instead of resolving the matter, has put it on hold due to the non-cooperation of senior revenue officials. The Rs 698 million discrepancy, according to the report, is directly linked to systemic administrative failures within the revenue department, particularly in the assessment and collection of taxes on property purchases. The case has reignited concerns over rampant mismanagement during PTI's tenure and raised serious questions about the accountability mechanisms in place for public sector departments.