FBR launches tax drive against designers, other high net worth individuals.

ISLAMABAD -- The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has launched a tax enforcement drive against high-end fashion designers and other high net worth individuals, FBR spokesperson Dr Hamid Ateeq confirmed to media on Thursday.

"FBR has started a drive against high net worth individuals who are either not on tax rolls or are not paying their due taxes, and field formations have been asked to carry out profiling of such cases. The major classes in focus are high-end dress designers, beauticians and stylists, photographers, artists, doctors etc," Ateeq said.

On Wednesday, a notification of the tax department started circulating on social media. According to the notification, a copy of which is available with media, the FBR in a survey for new taxpayers found that "high-end dress designers while charging exorbitant amounts for a single dress pay only a meagre amount in taxes". The notification mentions that FBR has identified 24 designers.

When their income tax returns were analysed, it was found that their declared income does not commensurate with their receipts. Some of them are not even on tax rolls.

However, Ateeq said that the tax...