High-end fashion designers, others on FBR radar

ISLAMABAD: In order to broaden the tax net to meet the set revenue target, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has kick-started a tax enforcement campaign against the high net worth individuals who are either off the tax net or not paying the right amount of tax.

The high net worth individuals include doctors, artists, high-end fashion designers, beauticians and photographers and the FBR field formations have set about gathering data on them, it has been learnt. The formations are under strict orders not to directly contact the potential taxpayers and concentrate on data mining and market information. The Board has also made sure that no tax payer was harassed.

According to a notification that appeared on the social media on Wednesday, the Board conducted a survey for new taxpayers and found that the high-end dress designers were paying a small amount of taxes.

The FBR found that the income of 24 designers did not match their receipts and some of them were not even on its tax list. The Board has also sent notices to 24 bridal dress designers for their massive tax evasion. As per information, some bridal dress designers paid 'meager' tax or were not even on the tax roll despite making millions from a single dress.

The Board launched a major tax documentation drive in December last year to bring 17,000 big retailers into the tax net after the prime minister instructed it to launch a nationwide tax assessment and documentation drive to bring untaxed people into the tax net.