FBR Targets Pakistan’s Leading Actress in Multi-Year Income Tax Evasion Case

Pakistan’s tax authority, FBR, has opened a high-profile case against a leading television and film actress, alleging large-scale income tax evasion spanning several years. The Federal Board of Revenue’s Lifestyle Monitoring Cell says the case centers on a widening gap between her reported income and an increasingly lavish lifestyle.

Officials say the probe began after analysts flagged unusual spending patterns that did not align with her tax filings, sources told Techjuice. As a result, the FBR has now initiated formal proceedings under the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

According to the FBR, investigators identified major discrepancies between the actress’s declared earnings and her personal expenditures. These included undeclared luxury purchases, frequent foreign travel, and other high-value spending.

The Lifestyle Monitoring Cell says it uncovered evidence of substantial income concealment. This prompted recommendations for a full audit and legal action under existing tax laws.

Authorities believe the scale and consistency of the mismatches point to deliberate under-reporting, not accounting errors.

Career Profile and Public Presence

FBR records describe the actress as a well-known public figure with a strong footprint in television and film. She has starred in popular and critically acclaimed dramas, including Sabaat, Sammi, and Aangan. Her recent projects include Nauroz, Naeem, and Jama Taqseem. Her wedding in February 2025 also attracted widespread media attention.

The actress also maintains a large digital audience. She has more than 10 million Instagram followers, around 2 million on Twitter, over 2.4 million on Facebook, and 31,500 YouTube subscribers. Tax officials say this reach indicates strong earning potential from endorsements and influencer activity.

FBR data shows she travelled to Dubai in 2024 to mark her 32nd birthday. The same year, she also visited London and Bali. Investigators also reviewed her wedding expenses using open-source material. This included social media posts, videos, and reels. Based on this analysis, the FBR estimates total wedding spending at approximately Rs. 67.7 million.

The estimate covers venues, catering, clothing, jewelry, and event production. However, none of these expenses appeared in her tax declarations.

Declared Income Raises Questions

The actress has been registered with the FBR since 2016. Yet her income and wealth statements reportedly show limited financial capacity. According to officials, her declared resources could not reasonably support a wedding of this scale or repeated international travel. The FBR says these costs were also missing from her wealth statements and expense summaries.

As a result, authorities believe the spending was funded through unreported income sources.

The tax authority says the gap between reported income and actual spending suggests concealed earnings. Officials allege large sums were used over multiple years to finance her lifestyle.

FBR has concluded that the repeated high-value expenditures indicate systematic tax avoidance. The case is therefore being examined under provisions related to unexplained income and assets in the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

Proposed Legal Actions by FBR

Based on its findings, the Federal Board of Revenue has outlined several enforcement steps:

1. Comprehensive audit under Sections 114 and 177 for tax years 2020 to 2025: The FBR plans a detailed audit under Section 177. It will review income declarations, bank accounts, credit cards, business interests, influencer earnings, sponsorships, and spending patterns. Officials say there are reasonable grounds to proceed.
2. Notice under Section 111 for unexplained income or assets: The FBR intends to seek explanations for funds used on the wedding and foreign travel. If the sources remain unjustified, the amounts will be added as taxable income.
3. Amended assessments under Section 122: The RTO Islamabad has been advised to revise tax assessments for tax years 2020 to 2025. Unexplained wedding and travel expenses would be added to declared income, creating recoverable tax demands.
4. Penalties and possible prosecution: Authorities have recommended penalties under Section 182. They are also considering criminal proceedings under Section 192A if willful evasion is established or cooperation remains limited.
5. Ongoing lifestyle monitoring: Beyond this case, the FBR plans continuous monitoring. Future income filings will be matched against travel, luxury purchases, endorsements, new ventures, and social media earnings.