Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) customs authorities are trying hard to avoid the investigation against a criminal gang involved in selling non-custom paid products in connivance with some FBR employees, causing huge loss of revenue, and despite four notices no comments have been offered against the allegations.
It is reliably learnt that on the basis of public interest complaint lodged by tax lawyer Waheed Shahzad Butt, FTO has ordered the Chairman FBR to conduct an investigation with the help of (FIA) and other agencies and submit a detailed report within one month but after a lapse of two months, FBR is not ready to accept the naked truth about open violation of law and promoting huge tax evasion by allowing the sale of non-customs paid goods without any check and balance.
When contacted international human rights activist and constitutional lawyer Muhammad Azhar Siddique, who is representing the complainant, told this correspondence that the complainant requests the FTO to intervene to uphold the integrity and stature of the FTO to check huge revenue loss under the garb of smuggled/ non-custom paid products fraudulently sold to the general public through some microfinance bank accounts.
Azhar Siddique further added a very strange activity on the part of FBR with the active connivance of some FBR personnel in collaboration with said financial institutions, as well as, through using Mobile Phone SIM Cards, has been highlighted but all in vain.
Reference is invited to this office letter dated 25 March 2024, 30 April 2024, and 14 May 2024, wherein it is required to submit parawise comments but no response has been received so far despite the lapse of more than two months, which is a clear defiance of the notices of the Hon’ble FTO. Now, therefore, the department is provided a final opportunity for sub-mission of parawsie comments before 14 June 2024. the case is also fixed for hearing on 14 June 2024.
FBR is required to depute the DR (not below the rank of BS-19) to attend the hearing at the Regional Office, Lahore along with parawise comments, failing which the complaint would be decided ex-parte in view of the available record/facts of the case: FTO ordered.
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