Karachi, February 22, 2019: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has declared Jahangir Khan Tareen as largest tax payer parliamentarian during the tax year 2017, Prime Minister Imran Khan paid Rs 103,763 tax in fiscal year 2016-17 (FY17), FBR reveled on Friday.
FBR has issued tax directory of Parliamentarians for tax year 2017. This directory contains tax details of members of the Senate of Pakistan and Members of the National as well as Provincial Assemblies.
Former Prime Minister and party leader PMLN Muhammad Nawaz Sharif paid Rs 263,173/- tax, higher than Imran Khan of Rs 103,763/- in 2017.
According to directory, Jahangir Khan Tareen from NA-154 was the leading tax payer parliamentarian during 2017 as he paid Rs 97.317 million as tax to the national exchequer. However, he was disqualified by the court in 2018 and could not participate in the election in 2018.
Senator Muhammad Talha Mehmood is the second largest tax payer with Rs 43.184 million. Senator Rozi Khan Kakar from Balochistan is ranked third as he paid Rs 40.869 million in 2017, while Taj Muhammad Afridi from Fata is also leading parliamentarian tax payer with 29.343 million during tax year 2017.
A non-muslim Isphanyar M. Bhandara is also one of the largest tax payer with Rs 22.959 tax payment. During the 2017, Aitzaz Ahsan paid Rs 25,869,738/-, Dr. Muhammad Farogh Naseem Rs 27,887,974/-, Sheikh Fayyaz Ud Din (NA-193) Rs 14,013,347/-, Farooq Hamid Naek Rs 11,062,116/-
PML-N leaders Mohammad Ishaq Dar (former minister finance) paid Rs 9,384,606/-, Khawaja Muhammad Asif Rs 5,561,647/-, Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Rs 3,086,961/-, Muhammad Hamza Shehbaz Sharif Rs 8,268,298/- and Khawaja Saad Rafique Rs 5,224,794/-.
PPP’s Farhatullah Babar Rs 343,685/-, ANP’s Shahi Syed Rs 2,411,181, Mushahid Hussain Syed Rs 166,437/-, JI Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq Rs 138,573/-. Prof. Sajid Mir Rs 343,473/-, PPP’s Saleem Mandviwalla Rs 1,441,848/- and Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao paid Rs 1,775,573/- tax in 2017.
Asad Umar has paid Rs 4,849,615/- in 2017. While, PPP leader Faryal Talpur Rs 2,869,133/. Former Prime Minister and party leader PML-N Muhammad Nawaz Sharif paid only Rs 263,173/- and JUI central leader Molana Fazal Ur Rehman Rs 125,225/- during the 2017.
On issuance of FBR’s Tax Directory of Parliamentarians for tax year 2017, Asad Umer Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs has said that in every country levies taxes to raise revenues which are essential for the running of affairs of a state and provision of public services.
Development of a progressive taxation system is an essential tool to reduce social inequalities in a society and bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, he added.
The countries exhibiting due diligence in collection of taxes from the affluent segments of the society through progressive taxation and expending them judiciously for the welfare of the poor are rated high on transparency and good governance index.
Efficient, fair and sustainable tax systems are critical for institution building and promoting democracy and improved economic governance.
The need for responsibility on public representatives for disclosure of their assets and the sources of their income, he said and added that with these aims and objectives, Federal Board of Revenue published, its first Tax Directory of Parliamentarians in tax year 2013.
However, this time, in line with the incumbent government’s reform agenda, the Directory embodies the policy of transparency and accountability through access to information, Asad said
The publication of the Parliamentarians’ Tax Directory is an integral step towards ensuring transparency and informing voters about the taxpaying status of their elected representatives.
