ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has launched 48 criminal inquiries after detecting alleged manipulation of wealth statements involving previously undeclared assets worth Rs9.41 billion, as part of a nationwide crackdown on concealment of wealth and misuse of the tax filing system.
The Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation (Inland Revenue) identified the cases through an analysis of FBR data conducted with the support of Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL).
According to the FBR, the data analysis identified 85 taxpayers who revised their wealth statements between March 2025 and June 2026 for tax years 2014 to 2019, adding previously undeclared cash, physical gold, prize bonds, properties and business capital.
The tax authority said the revisions were made after expiry of the legally permitted period for making such changes.
Under the explanation to Section 116(3) of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, a wealth statement cannot be revised more than five years after the due date of the original return.
The FBR said Regional Directorates of Intelligence and Investigation (Inland Revenue) have initiated 48 criminal inquiries across the country, while proceedings in the remaining cases are being processed.
In one case detected by the Lahore Directorate, a taxpayer revised a wealth statement for Tax Year 2015 in May 2026 to include Rs102.8 million in allegedly fictitious funds.
According to the FBR, the amount was subsequently carried forward through wealth statements up to Tax Year 2025 and was used to account for the purchase of seven properties worth Rs64.41 million in May and June 2026.
The taxpayer allegedly failed to explain the source of the funds when questioned by investigators, with the FBR stating that the tax allegedly sought to be evaded in the case exceeded Rs46 million.
The tax authority said a money laundering case had been registered against the taxpayer and any abettors found involved under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010, while further cases were being processed.
The latest action highlights the FBR’s increasing reliance on data analytics to identify discrepancies in taxpayers’ declared wealth and detect attempts to introduce previously undeclared assets into subsequent wealth statements.
The FBR said it would continue using data-driven tools to identify manipulation of the tax system and pursue penalties and prosecution in cases involving concealment of unexplained wealth.