THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

FBR tells Senate panel tobacco tax theft is Rs40bn, not $1bn <p>ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Thursday told a Senate sub-committee that estimated tax theft in the tobacco sector is around Rs40 billion annually — far below the government’s public claim of $1bn, or roughly Rs280bn.</p> <p>The admission came during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics sub-committee, convened by Senator Saifullah Abro to review smuggling, of narcotics, misuse of tax-exempt imports, and FBR enforcement.</p> <p>Senator Abro questioned FBR officials over government advertisements claiming $1 billion in annual tobacco tax evasion. FBR officials clarified the actual estimated evasion is about Rs40bn. They also said they were unaware of the nationwide anti-tax theft campaign being run by the federal government.</p> <p>Expressing displeasure, the convenor said public awareness campaigns must be based on “accurate and verifiable information”. He directed FBR and relevant authorities to bring the discrepancy to the prime minister’s notice and correct the advertisements.</p> <p>“This is alarming, how FBR briefed the prime minister and the Ministry of Informatio…

FBR Tells Senate Panel Tobacco Tax Theft Is Rs. 40 ... - ProPakistani The Federal Board of Revenue told a Senate sub-committee on Thursday that estimated tax evasion in the tobacco sector stands at around Rs. 40 billion annually, far below the government’s publicly stated claim of $1 billion, or roughly Rs. 280 billion. The disclosure came during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics sub-committee, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, which reviewed issues related to smuggling, narcotics, misuse of tax-exempt imports, and FBR enforcement. During the meeting, Senator Abro questioned FBR officials about government advertisements claiming that annual tax theft in the tobacco sector had reached $1 billion. In response, FBR officials said the actual estimated evasion was around Rs. 40 billion. They also told the panel they were unaware of the nationwide anti-tax theft campaign being run by the federal government. Expressing concern, Senator Abro said public awareness campaigns should be based on accurate and verifiable information. He directed the FBR and other relevant authorities to bring the discrepancy to the notice of the prime minister and have the ad…

FBR stonewalls Senate panel on tobacco tax data; FIA to probe Badshah Wazir case <p>ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) failed to provide the required data to a Senate sub-committee on Monday, prompting the panel to seek a comprehensive 20-year record of tobacco tax collection, factories and pending dues worth billions of rupees.</p> <p>The meeting of the Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics was held with Senator Saifullah Abro in the chair.</p> <p>Senators Mohammad Talha Mahmood, Dilawar Khan and Hidayat Ullah Khan also attended the meeting.</p> <p>Chief of Sales Tax at the FBR Javed Iqbal Tarar was asked to leave the meeting after he failed to submit data earlier sought by the committee, hampering the proceedings.</p> <p>The panel expressed concern over the lack of information on <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1954793">tax collection from tobacco manufacturers</a>.</p> <p>It noted that while customs had earlier reported <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2011479/small-traders-growers-protest-excise-duty-on-tobacco">tobacco-related taxes</a> of Rs75 billion, subsequent deliberations suggested about <a href="https://www.dawn.com/ne…

Senate Body Directs FIA to Arrest FBR Chairman If He Skips Appearance A subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control on Monday summoned FBR Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Rashid Mahmood Langrial and involved tax officers in handcuffs if they don’t submit their remarks regarding the recent theft of smuggled cigarettes worth Rs. 250 million from a customs warehouse. Officials representing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) briefed the committee that notices had been issued to tax officers, the warehouse owner and the FBR chairman to submit their responses on this case. Senator Talha Mahmood directed that if they fail to appear by April 2, they should be immediately arrested. He also demanded that FBR officials and the FBR Chairman be brought before the committee in handcuffs if necessary. ALSO READ Cigarettes Worth Rs. 250 Million Reportedly Stolen From FBR Warehouses Lawmakers criticized this habit of officials holding high-ranking posts who avoid attending such meetings. Senator Talha Mahmood revealed that the Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue purchased a house shortly after the cigarette theft. The committee also ordered that al…

Senate panel summons FBR chairman over Rs250 million cigarette … February 24, 2026 Lawmakers question disappearance of 2,828 cartons from Swabi and Mardan warehouses, cite non-cooperation with FIA Monitoring Report February 24, 2026 A sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior has directed Federal Board of Revenue Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial to appear at its next meeting to discuss the reported theft of 2,828 cartons of cigarettes valued at Rs 250 million from FBR warehouses. The panel, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, expressed dissatisfaction over the chairman’s absence and instructed him to attend the upcoming session to facilitate timely resolution of the matter. Members also raised concerns over the FBR’s failure to provide required documents to the Federal Investigation Agency. During the meeting, committee members asked FBR officials present to contact the chairman and request his participation. Officials informed the panel that attempts had been made but his mobile phone was switched off. The sub-committee has been tasked by the main committee to investigate the disappearance of the cartons from FBR godowns located in Swabi and Mardan. FBR of…

Senate panel reviews theft of 2,828 cigarette cartons from FBR ... March 13, 2026 FIA says driver entered without pass, shift in-charge absent and no CCTV footage available Monitoring Report March 13, 2026 A sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Thursday reviewed the theft of 2,828 cartons of cigarettes from a warehouse used by the Federal Board of Revenue. As per reports, the meeting, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, was briefed by officials from the Federal Investigation Agency and the FBR regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident. FIA officials told the committee that drivers entering or exiting the warehouse are normally required to obtain official passes. However, on the day the cigarettes were removed, no pass had been issued to the driver involved. They added that the shift in-charge responsible for overseeing operations at the warehouse was not present at the time of the transfer and that no formal entry or record of the movement was registered. Investigators also informed the committee that no CCTV footage was available to review the incident. FBR officials told the panel that the warehouse had been rented by the department an…

Senate panel warns arrest of some FBR officials in Rs250m cigarette ... ISLAMABAD: A subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control issued a stern warning to some tax officials over the alleged theft of smuggled cigarettes worth Rs250 million from a customs warehouse. The committee directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to ensure that all concerned officials, including the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman and other tax officers, submit their written responses in connection with the high-profile cigarette theft case. During the meeting, FIA officials informed the committee that notices had already been issued to the relevant tax officers, the warehouse owner, and the FBR chairman, seeking their replies on the matter. Senator Talha Mahmood warned that if the summoned individuals fail to appear before the committee by April 2, they should be arrested immediately in accordance with the law. He further remarked that the involved FBR officials, including the chairman if required, should be produced before the committee in handcuffs. The development comes after growing scrutiny over the reported theft of a large quantity of confiscated…

Senate panel seeks probe into Rs250m FBR cigarette theft - Pakistan Today March 13, 2026 A Senate sub-committee has directed the FBR and investigation agencies to probe the theft of Rs250 million worth of cigarettes from FBR warehouses in Swabi and Mardan, and ordered a report before its next meeting. News Desk March 13, 2026 ISLAMABAD:A sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and relevant investigation agencies to conduct a thorough probe into the theft of 2,828 cartons of cigarettes from FBR warehouses in Swabi and Mardan, which has resulted in an estimated loss of approximately Rs250 million. The instructions were issued during a meeting held at Parliament House on Thursday, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro. The committee reviewed the circumstances surrounding the embezzlement and ordered that a detailed investigation report be presented before its next session. During the proceedings, members of the sub-committee also instructed Pakistan Customs to submit comprehensive records of all confiscated items—including gold, silver, electronics, cigarettes, and narcotics—since 2012. The com…