The recent wedding between the families of two of Pakistan’s leading business groups in Lahore has caught everyone’s attention, including that of the Federal Board of Revenue.
The four-day extravagant wedding of the scions of Jalal & Sons and Master Tiles was graced by several celebrity attendees. It featured concerts by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam in addition to performances by foreign acts.
The wedding was planned by KSC Concept, catered by the Rose Blanca Club, Lahore, and covered by the famous photographer Irfan Ahsan.
Almost everything from the décor to the catering to the gold leaf-wrapped sweets was extravagantly expensive. Rs. 1 million were paid to Maulana Tariq Jameel in terms of a gift for blessing the couple with special dua following Nikah ceremony. According to careful estimates, the two families spent around Rs. 2 billion on the four-day festivities.
The FBR has taken notice of the matter and has asked Master Tiles to explain the expenditures. The revenue board has issued notices to Gujranwala-based industrialists under Section 176 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 to ascertain the withholding of taxes. It has sought a reply by 16 November, and legal action will be taken accordingly.