FBR to investigate non payment of taxes from cricketers

FBR to take stringent actions against those cricketers who are involved in tax evasion

LAHORE: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said on late Thursday that it will investigate complains of non-payment of taxes by six Pakistani cricket team players including captain Misbahul Haq, Roznama Express reported.

Star batsmen Umar Akmal, Azhar Ali, Taufeeq Umar and Mohammed Hafeez will also be investigated, it was reported.

The FBR had earlier invited these cricketers to lodge their tax returns. Complying with the FBR directives, the six players lodged their tax returns after obtaining their group income cerficates from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), however the FBR had ascertained that the incomes and expenses were more than what was mentioned in the received financial documents.

According to documents obtained by Roznama Express, in the financial years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011, Misbahul Haq had to pay a total tax of Rs4.9million, based on his declared income, however his total tax payment for the two years stood at Rs2.96million.

Afterthis revelation, the FBR's Department of Income Tax applied for the instigation of tribunal hearings on the issue ofnon-payments of taxes from the cricket team captain.

In other relevant developments, Akmal's bank account had been frozen by the FBR citing non-payments of taxes worth Rs7.8million over the said duration.

During the same financial years, opening batsman Farhat paid a total tax worth Rs1.03million, Hafeez paid Rs2.7million, Ali Rs0.62million and Umar paid Rs1.195million.

The FBR also said that as soon as more revelations about incomes, expenses and tax frauds from these cricketers and other members of the national team came into the limelight, more relevant action will be taken against them.