Punjab TikTokers Should Be FBR’s First Target for Tax Collection: Senator

Senator Faisal Vawda has suggested that if the FBR intends to tax TikTokers, the process should begin in Punjab, where collections would be higher. The suggestion came during a recent meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwala, to discuss finance issues. The news comes shortly after sources revealed that FBR plans to crack down on wealthy social media influencers showing off their luxury lifestyle online. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has compiled data on nearly 100,000 wealthy individuals as part of its latest crackdown, according to official sources. Authorities are particularly focusing on non-filers who spend extravagantly on weddings, with investigators also monitoring people flaunting their lifestyles on social media through displays of luxury homes, high-end cars, jewelry, and other costly possessions. Sources revealed that even individuals spotted wearing suits worth up to $20,000 at weddings will be brought under the tax net, with the FBR requiring them to explain and declare the source of such wealth. In addition, tax officials will cross-check last year’s income tax returns against this year’s filings. If the declared income does not match the visible rise in expenditures and public display of wealth, strict action will be taken, the sources added. In another matter, the Director-General of Law from the President’s Secretariat informed the committee that the FBR had obtained a stay order from the Sindh High Court against the President’s decision. The Chairman of the FBR confirmed that the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) had ruled that the matter did not fall under its jurisdiction, while the individual who filed the petition had taken the issue to the President of Pakistan. The FBR had also sought legal advice from the Attorney General on the matter. The FBR Chairman concluded that the committee would await the Attorney General’s report before further discussing the issue.