ISLAMABAD: An investigation against Pakistanis owning immovable property in the United Kingdom (UK) has begun, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairperson Rukhsana Yasmin said on Monday.
“The investigation is being conducted against those individuals who did not avail the government’s tax amnesty scheme,” she said.
“We have received information of those Pakistanis who illegally own property in the United Kingdom. The data was received from UK Tax Authorities,” she added.
Yasmin expressed disappointment at the response to the amnesty scheme last month.
She made the remarks during an address to FBR employees at the Tax House where she said that residents from Karachi and Lahore had availed the scheme but Central and South Punjab’s response was disappointing with only 55,000 citizens in total availing the scheme.
The tax amnesty scheme announced by the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) government earlier this year provided citizens the opportunity to file local and foreign assets without repercussions.
It came into effect from April 10, 2018 and expired on June 30.
The FBR had previously warned of stern action against those holding undeclared foreign and local assets after the scheme’s expiry.
On the other hand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, who is likely to become the next prime minister of the country, told British officials on Friday he would recover money laundered in the UK by corrupt Pakistani politicians.