FBR files Rs1.25 bln sales tax 'fraud' case against designer Nomi Ansari

KARACHI: In a major crackdown on tax evasion, the Corporate Tax Office of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has registered a Rs1.25 billion sales tax fraud case against internationally acclaimed fashion designer Nomi Ansari.

According to official sources, the case has been formally registered while Ansari is reportedly abroad, and authorities anticipate his arrest upon return.

Sources further said after the arrest, Ansari will be presented before the Customs and Taxation Court for legal proceedings.

This development follows earlier action taken by the FBR in February, when the department sealed Ansari’s factory and retail outlets across Karachi over alleged violations of sales tax and Point-of-Sale (POS) regulations.

Read more: FBR amends sales tax rules to curb evasion, regulate retailers under IMF condition

The celebrated fashion figure now faces mounting legal troubles, as the FBR intensifies its efforts to clamp down on high-profile tax evasion, signaling a broader campaign to enforce financial accountability in Pakistan’s elite business circles.

In February, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) introduced further amendments to the Sales Tax Rules 2006 to prevent tax evasion and bring retailers under the legal framework, fulfilling another condition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Under the new rules, FBR has been granted the authority to seal or unseal business premises.

According to the amendments, the concerned Commissioner of Inland Revenue will impose a penalty for violations, and the business premises will be unsealed upon payment of the fine within the stipulated time.