The Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to submit comprehensive tax data after an agency official failed to provide requested information during a meeting on Monday.
The Sub-Committee session, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro in Islamabad, addressed tax evasion in the tobacco sector, national narcotics control, and border trade monitoring.
During the meeting, FBR Chief of Sales Tax Javed Iqbal Tarer was asked to leave the session after failing to produce required data on tobacco sector tax collection. The committee expressed concern over the persistent lack of information from the FBR despite repeated directives.
Consequently, the FBR was ordered to provide detailed records of taxes assessed, collected, and pending over the past 20 years, alongside documentary evidence regarding approximately Rs. 40 billion in outstanding tobacco taxes.
The committee also initiated a corruption investigation, directing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to probe a case involving Badshah Wazir regarding raw materials imported for tax-exempt areas that allegedly never reached their destinations.
Additionally, the Press Information Department (PID) was directed to submit full details of its media contracts, campaign expenditures, and agreements with television channels.
On national narcotics control, the Punjab Police submitted a 20-year consolidated report tracking drug seizures, convictions, and trials. The committee was informed that the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) accounted for approximately 49 percent of the country’s total narcotics seizures last year, noting a shift from plant-based to synthetic drugs.
The DIG South of Karachi Police briefed the panel on operations between 2013 and 2026, which resulted in over 105,000 registered cases and 127,000 arrests. This included updates on the high-profile drug trafficking network of Anmol, alias “Pinky,” which has led to 28 registered cases and the arrest of 35 delivery riders. The committee directed law enforcement to investigate her alleged connections to influential figures.
Finally, the committee reviewed trade dynamics, requesting detailed information from Pakistan Customs regarding border trade. Senator Mohammad Talha Mahmood highlighted concerns over the under-invoicing of mining raw materials and requested specific data on commerce through the Sost Border and trade activities with Iran.
At the conclusion of the session, the convener summoned the Inspectors General of Police for Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan to attend the next meeting, stipulating that all relevant departments must deliver the requested information prior to the session.
