Latest news with #Rs70-80
Express Tribune
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Former Haripur food official accused of corruption
A corruption scandal has reportedly emerged in the Haripur Food Department involving the alleged illegal sale of wheat worth millions of rupees. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa deputy director of food had earlier written to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary, secretary food, director anti-corruption and director NAB about the alleged corruption. According to the letter, a former district food controller (DFC) allegedly sold wheat worth around Rs80-90 million illegally during 2015-16. Although an inquiry was initiated by the department, it was reportedly shelved due to the political influence of a former food minister and a former food secretary. The deputy director stated that the accused was exonerated without investigation due to this political backing. He further claimed that the ex-DFC purchased a house worth Rs30 million in Gulberg Colony, Abbottabad and sent his son to the UK for higher education. It was also alleged that he gifted luxury vehicles and other items to a senior female clerk, with whom he reportedly worked closely in postings. The deputy director added that the former DFC always kept the clerk in his team. Further allegations suggest that over Rs70 million worth of wheat has gone missing from Haripur's food procurement for the 2024-25 season. The former officials are accused of once again selling wheat illegally from the Haripur food warehouse. The newly appointed Haripur DFC Tariq Khan has reportedly refrained from taking charge of the warehouse, allegedly due to awareness of the missing wheat stock worth Rs70-80 million. The duo is accused of causing a loss of around Rs150 million to the national exchequer.
Business Recorder
10-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Tobacco, poultry sectors accused of evading Rs400bn tax
ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Rashid Mahmood Langrial, Friday, disclosed massive tax evasion in the tobacco and poultry sectors to the tune of nearly Rs400 billion, reflecting huge tax gap in country's economy. During a meeting of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Finance on Friday, the FBR chairman disclosed that out of every 10 trucks of smuggled/ illicit cigarettes, only one is confiscated due to limited manpower of the tax machinery. The new powers to provinces would help in checking illicit cigarettes at the retail level with the help of provincial law enforcement agencies. PM Shehbaz orders crackdown on tax evasion, under-invoicing About the tobacco sector, the FBR chairman stated that an estimated tax evasion of around Rs300 billion is taking place in tobacco sector. He stated that any cigarette without the mandatory stamp is illegal and indicated that the FBR would seek the assistance of provincial law enforcement agencies to combat the trade of illegal cigarettes. The FBR is devising a SOP for enforcement with the help of law enforcement agencies. The cost of non-compliance or not paying taxes will increase for tobacco sector and at least 10 percent impact would be seen after enforcement at provincial level. The Chairman of the Standing Committee, Syed Naveed Qamar, expressed concern that the new authority granted by the ordinance could lead to increased harassment. The FBR chairman stated that poultry sector, which was liable to pay Rs10 billion in taxes, was only contributing Rs1.3 billion. He pointed out the significant profit margins in the sector, where a chick costing Rs70-80 is sold for as high as Rs180. He attributed this underpayment to the absence of cost accounting in income tax returns within the poultry industry. The FBR's market intelligence indicated widespread issues in certain sectors, including poultry, where daily production ranges from 800,000-900,000 chicks. The lack of cost accounting led to substantial under-collection of taxes. The chairman noted that when the FBR took action, the sales prices declared by the poultry sector were altered. Officials estimated that the outstanding dues from the poultry sector over the past five years could amount to Rs150 billion, with annual liabilities reaching Rs30 billion. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
